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• part
  part

  noun

  a portion or division of a whole that is separate or distinct; piece, fragment, fraction, or section; constituent.
• part.
  part.

  abbreviation

  participial.

part

¹ American  

[pahrt] / pɑrt /

noun

• parts
  plural

1. a portion or division of a whole that is separate or distinct; piece, fragment, fraction, or section; constituent.

   the rear part of the house;

   to glue the two parts together.

   Synonyms:

   sector, division, ingredient, component

   Antonyms:

   whole

2. an essential or integral attribute or quality.

   a sense of humor is part of a healthy personality.

3. a section or division of a literary work.

4. a portion, member, or organ of an animal body.

5. any of a number of more or less equal quantities that compose a whole or into which a whole is divided.

   Use two parts sugar to one part cocoa.

6. an allotted portion; share.

   Synonyms:

   lot, portion, allotment

7. Usually parts.

   1. a region, quarter, or district.

      a journey to foreign parts.

   2. a quality or attribute establishing the possessor as a person of importance or superior worth.

      Being both a diplomat and a successful businesswoman, she is widely regarded as a woman of parts.

8. either of the opposing sides in a contest, question, agreement, etc.

9. the dividing line formed in separating the hair of the head and combing it in different directions.

10. a constituent piece of a machine or tool either included at the time of manufacture or set in place as a replacement for the original piece.

11. Music.

    1. the written or printed matter extracted from the score that a single performer or section uses in the performance of concerted music.

       a horn part.

    2. a section or division of a composition.

       the allegro part of the first movement.

12. participation, interest, or concern in something; role.

    The neighbors must have had some part in planning the surprise party.

13. a person's share in or contribution to some action; duty, function, or office.

    You must do your part if we're to finish by tonight.

    Synonyms:

    divide, responsibility

14. a character or role acted in a play or sustained in real life.

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verb (used with object)

• parts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• parted,
  past participle,  past
• parting
  present participle

1. to divide (a thing) into parts; sever; break; cleave.

   Antonyms:

   join

2. to comb (the hair) away from a dividing line.

3. to divide into shares; distribute in parts; apportion.

4. to put or keep apart; separate.

   They parted the calves from the herd.

   Synonyms:

   detach, disjoin, disconnect, dissociate, sunder, sever

5. Metallurgy.

   1. to separate (silver) from gold in refining.

   2. to cut (one part) away from a piece, as an end from a billet.

   3. to keep the surface of (a casting) separate from the sand of the mold.

6. Obsolete. to leave.

verb (used without object)

• parts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• parted,
  past participle,  past
• parting
  present participle

1. to be or become divided into parts; break or cleave.

   The oil tanker parted amidships.

2. to go or come apart; separate, as two or more things.

3. to go apart from or leave one another, as persons.

   We'll part no more.

4. to be or become separated from something else (usually followed byfrom ).

5. Nautical. to break or become torn apart, as a cable.

6. to depart.

7. to die.

adjective

1. of a part; partial.

   part owner.

adverb

1. in part; partly.

   part autobiographical.

verb phrase

1. part with to give up (property, control, etc.); relinquish.

   to part with one's money.

idioms

1. take part, to participate; share or partake.

   They refused to take part in any of the activities of the community.

2. on the part of, Also on one's part.

   1. so far as pertains to or concerns one.

      He expressed appreciation on the part of himself and his colleagues.

   2. as done or manifested by.

      attention on the part of the audience.

3. in part, in some measure or degree; to some extent; partly; partially.

   The crop failure was due in part to unusual weather conditions.

4. part company,

   1. to bid farewell or go separate ways; leave one another.

   2. to dissolve a personal affiliation, relationship, etc., especially because of irreconcilable differences.

   3. to disagree.

5. for the most part, with respect to the greatest part; on the whole; generally; usually; mostly.

   They are good students, for the most part.

6. for one's part, as far as concerns one.

   For my part, you can do whatever you please.

7. part and parcel, an essential, necessary, or integral part.

   Her love for her child was part and parcel of her life.

8. take someone's part, to align oneself with; side with; champion; back.

   His parents took his part, even though he was obviously in the wrong.

9. in good part,

   1. without offense; in a good-natured manner; amiably.

      She was able to take teasing in good part.

   2. to a great extent; largely.

      His success is in good part ascribable to dogged determination.

part. ² American  

abbreviation

1. participial.

2. participle.

3. particular.

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part ¹ British  

/ pɑːt /

noun

1. a piece or portion of a whole

2. an integral constituent of something

   dancing is part of what we teach

3. 1. an amount less than the whole; bit

      they only recovered part of the money

   2. ( as modifier )

      an old car in part exchange for a new one

4. one of several equal or nearly equal divisions

   mix two parts flour to one part water

5. 1. an actor's role in a play

   2. the speech and actions which make up such a role

   3. a written copy of these

6. a person's proper role or duty

   everyone must do his part

7. (often plural) region; area

   you're well known in these parts

8. anatomy any portion of a larger structure

9. a component that can be replaced in a machine, engine, etc

   spare parts

10. British equivalent: parting.  the line of scalp showing when sections of hair are combed in opposite directions

11. music

    1. one of a number of separate melodic lines making up the texture of music

    2. one of such melodic lines, which is assigned to one or more instrumentalists or singers

       the viola part

       the soprano solo part

    3. such a line performed from a separately written or printed copy See part song

12. generally

13. as far as one is concerned

14. to some degree; partly

15. having many different abilities

16. on behalf of

17. an essential ingredient

18. 1. to pretend to be what one is not

    2. (foll by in) to have something to do (with); be instrumental (in)

       to play a part in the king's downfall

19. to respond to (teasing) with good humour

20. to participate in

21. to support someone in an argument

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verb

1. to divide or separate from one another; take or come apart

   to part the curtains

   the seams parted when I washed the dress

2. to go away or cause to go away from one another; stop or cause to stop seeing each other

   the couple parted amicably

3. to leave; say goodbye (to)

4. to relinquish, esp reluctantly

   I couldn't part with my teddy bear

5. to cause to relinquish, esp reluctantly

   he's not easily parted from his cash

6. (intr) to split; separate

   the path parts here

7. (tr) to arrange (the hair) in such a way that a line of scalp is left showing

8. (intr) a euphemism for die 1

9. archaic (intr) to depart

10. 1. to end a friendship or association, esp as a result of a quarrel; separate

       they were in partnership, but parted company last year

    2. (foll by with) to leave; go away from; be separated from

adverb

1. to some extent; partly

part. ² British  

abbreviation

1. participle

2. particular

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part More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing part

• best part of
• better half (part of)
• discretion is the better part of valor
• do one's bit (part)
• fool and his money are soon parted
• for one's part
• for the most part
• in good part
• in part
• take part
• take someone's part

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Synonym Usage

Part, piece, portion, segment, section, fraction, fragment refer to something that is less than the whole. Part is the general word: part of a house. A piece suggests a part which is itself a complete unit or it may mean an irregular fragment: a piece of pie; a piece of a broken vase. A portion is a part allotted or assigned to a person, purpose, etc.: a portion of food. A segment is often a part into which something separates naturally: a segment of an orange. Section suggests a relatively substantial, clearly separate part that fits closely with other parts to form a whole: a section of a fishing rod, a book. Fraction suggests a less substantial but still clearly delimited part, often separate from other parts: a fraction of his former income. Fragment suggests a broken, inconsequential, incomplete part, with irregular or imprecise outlines or boundaries: a fragment of broken pottery, of information.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subpart
  noun
• multipart
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• parts
  plural

Participles

• parting
  present
• parted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• part
  simple
• parts
  simple
• have parted
  perfect
• has parted
  perfect
• am parting
  progressive
• are parting
  progressive
• is parting
  progressive
• have been parting
  perfect progressive
• has been parting
  perfect progressive

Past

• parted
  simple
• had parted
  perfect
• was parting
  progressive
• were parting
  progressive
• had been parting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will part
  simple
• will have parted
  perfect
• will be parting
  progressive
• will have been parting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of part

First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English (from Old French, from Latin ), Old English, from Latin part- (stem of pars ) “piece, portion”; (verb) Middle English parten, from Old French partir, from Latin partīre, derivative of pars

Explanation

A part is a section or portion of something larger. When you injure a body part, you only hurt one arm or foot, rather than your entire body. Part can be used to mean a section of a whole, like a bicycle part, or Part Six of your book. To an actor, a part is a role in a movie or play, and to a hair stylist, it's the line on your scalp where your hair is combed in opposite directions. As a verb, it means "to divide or separate," and the Latin root is partem, "a part or portion."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

part part. parts parted parting

Last year, the government announced a three-year extension for the scheme as part of a £600m investment nationally.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The fossils will eventually become part of the permanent collection at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

As it turned out, the then 20-year-old would play no part in the 2-0 defeat.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

More than 170 people with post-traumatic stress disorder and frequent, severe nightmares took part.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

The truth I can no longer deny is burning itself into every part of me, like it wants to make sure I never forget.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

One participant who took part in the study said: "I was happy to take part. Without research, advancements in medicine cannot be made."

From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026

“Part of me was left in Auschwitz, but not the better part. Not the bigger part.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

“Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs,” the letter reads.

From Salon ● Apr. 10, 2026

"He has been an impactful player for us. He has settled into life here really well and he has played a big part. Long may it continue."

From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2025

“It was naive on my part. Still to this day, I’m surprised by how addictive and how alluring the technology is.”

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

While the remoteness of some communities can also act as a deterrent for young teachers to move here from other parts of England, according to recent research.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The United States alarmed its tropical island territories earlier this year, detailing plans to carve up parts of the Pacific Ocean for mining exploration.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

Conditions that developed months before the fires began left parts of Spain and France especially vulnerable, according to an analysis by researchers with The State of Wildfires Project.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

In 30-minute drills next week, Taiwan plans for the first time to slow down mobile internet in parts of the island including the tech hub Hsinchu, home to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

In an instant every bench would be filled, the only sound the businesslike rattle of radio parts.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Warning described how the "the clouds parted" at the last second in the Faroe Islands in 2015, allowing her to see an eclipse that people just hundreds of metres away missed.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

The company eventually halted some remodels and parted ways with a marketing firm it had worked with on the new logo, and streamlined leadership.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

Before releasing her new album, she parted ways with her managers to assume control of her career, building a hand-picked creative team around her own decision-making.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

The network parted ways last week with “60 Minutes” correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

The white light from the screen gleamed on James’s face, his lips parted in a faint frown.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

The movie ends with Hana and Kip parting because his job takes him to other areas of the country.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026

His parting gift was a silver medal, a handshake from President Trump and a hug from the King of Spain.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

After parting ways with Wilde, I drove 50 miles to meet Steven Weinberg, an artist and the author of “The Fly Fishing Book,” a whimsically illustrated guide to the sport.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

Hollywood star Josh Duhamel appears to be parting ways with his life in Los Angeles and dedicating himself to living full-time at his off-grid Minnesota cabin after listing his longtime California home for $2.99 million.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

Those were the parting words he bellowed through his trumpet.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

Related Words

• any
• chunk
• component
• detail
• element
• factor
• item
• lot
• measure
• member
• piece
• section
• sector
• segment
• share
• side
• unit