parting

[ pahr-ting ]

/ ˈpɑr tɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR parting ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person or thing that parts.

a division or separation.

a place of division or separation.

a departure or leave-taking.

death.

something that serves to part or separate things.

Mineralogy. a fracture of a crystal along a plane determined by twinning or pressure rather than along a cleavage plane.

Metallurgy. parting line.

adjective

given, happening, taken, done, etc., at parting: a parting glance.

of or relating to parting, leave-taking, departure, or death: parting words.

ending or taking leave: the parting day.

dying.

dividing or separating.

Nearby words

particulars, particulars of claim, particulate, particulate inheritance, partier, parting, parting is such sweet sorrow, parting line, parting of the ways, parting shot, parting strip

Origin of parting

1250–1300; Middle English partyng (gerund). See part, -ing¹, -ing²

Definition for parting (2 of 2)

part

[ pahrt ]

/ pɑrt /

noun

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.

an essential or integral attribute or quality: a sense of humor is part of a healthy personality.

a section or division of a literary work.

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

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.

an allotted portion; share.

Usually parts.

a region, quarter, or district: a journey to foreign parts.
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.

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

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

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.

Music.

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.
a section or division of a composition: the allegro part of the first movement.

participation, interest, or concern in something; role: The neighbors must have had some part in planning the surprise party.

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.

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

verb (used with object)

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

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

to divide into shares; distribute in parts; apportion.

to put or keep apart; separate: They parted the calves from the herd.

Metallurgy.

to separate (silver) from gold in refining.
to cut (one part) away from a piece, as an end from a billet.
to keep the surface of (a casting) separate from the sand of the mold.

Obsolete. to leave.

verb (used without object)

to be or become divided into parts; break or cleave: The oil tanker parted amidships.

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

to go apart from or leave one another, as persons: We'll part no more.

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

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

to depart.

to die.

adjective

partial; of a part: part owner.

adverb

in part; partly: part black.

Verb Phrases

part with, to give up (property, control, etc.); relinquish: to part with one's money.

Origin of part

before 1000; (noun) Middle English (< Old French < L), Old English < Latin part- (stem of pars) piece, portion; (v.) Middle English parten < Old French partir < Latin partīre, derivative of pars

SYNONYMS FOR part

1 component, ingredient, division, sector. 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.

6 apportionment, lot.

13 responsibility.

18 sever, sunder, dissociate, disconnect, disjoin, detach.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR part ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR part

1 whole.

15 join.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR part ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsmul·ti·part, adjectivesub·part, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for parting

In parting, I asked, if she had to pick one thing about the clubs that had made a lasting impression on her, what it would be.
Joan Rivers: The Playboy Bunnies Weren’t Sluts!|Patty Farmer|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bedouin women wore bright clothes and burqas, the parting of their hair and their kohl-lined eyes left exposed.
Saudi Activist Manal Al-Sharif on Why She Removed the Veil|Manal Al Sharif, Advancing Human Rights|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Like the Bedouins, they left their faces and the parting of their hair exposed.
Saudi Activist Manal Al-Sharif on Why She Removed the Veil|Manal Al Sharif, Advancing Human Rights|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As I leave, I mention in parting how Culkin deserves some serious Tony Awards consideration for his performance.
The Revival of Kieran Culkin: A Reluctant Star Seizes the Spotlight|Marlow Stern|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“I have only loved one woman—only one my entire life,” he said in parting.
Game of Thrones’ Ep. 7 ‘Mockingbird’ Recap: Conscious Coupling (and Uncoupling)|Andrew Romano|May 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After two days, there was a parting; perhaps, she wretchedly thought, a final one.
Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty|J. W. de Forest
Can I in her arms conceive the possibility of parting from her?
Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and Travels, Vol. I (of 2)|Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Phoebe's tears at parting made Staines feel uncomfortable, and he said so.
A Simpleton|Charles Reade
As she stood over Willy, parting the hair with her gentle finger upon his little pale brow, her tears dropped upon his face.
A Life's Secret|Mrs. Henry Wood
When Cheston took Albina's hand at parting, he felt it tremble, and her eyes looked as if they were filling with tears.
Pencil Sketches|Eliza Leslie

British Dictionary definitions for parting (1 of 2)

parting

/ (ˈpɑːtɪŋ) /

noun

British the line of scalp showing when sections of hair are combed in opposite directionsUS, Canadian, and Austral equivalent: part

the act of separating or the state of being separated

a departure or leave-taking, esp one causing a final separation
(as modifier)a parting embrace

a place or line of separation or division

chem a division of a crystal along a plane that is not a cleavage plane

a euphemism for death

adjective (prenominal)

literary departingthe parting day

serving to divide or separate

British Dictionary definitions for parting (2 of 2)

part

/ (pɑːt) /

noun

a piece or portion of a whole

an integral constituent of somethingdancing is part of what we teach

an amount less than the whole; bitthey only recovered part of the money
(as modifier)an old car in part exchange for a new one

one of several equal or nearly equal divisionsmix two parts flour to one part water

an actor's role in a play
the speech and actions which make up such a role
a written copy of these

a person's proper role or dutyeveryone must do his part

(often plural) region; areayou're well known in these parts

anatomy any portion of a larger structure

a component that can be replaced in a machine, engine, etcspare parts

US, Canadian and Australian the line of scalp showing when sections of hair are combed in opposite directionsBritish equivalent: parting

music

one of a number of separate melodic lines making up the texture of music
one of such melodic lines, which is assigned to one or more instrumentalists or singersthe viola part; the soprano solo part
such a line performed from a separately written or printed copySee part song

for the most part generally

for one's part as far as one is concerned

in part to some degree; partly

of many parts having many different abilities

on the part of on behalf of

part and parcel an essential ingredient

play a part

to pretend to be what one is not
(foll by in) to have something to do (with); be instrumental (in)to play a part in the king's downfall

take in good part to respond to (teasing) with good humour

take part in to participate in

take someone's part to support someone in an argument

verb

to divide or separate from one another; take or come apartto part the curtains; the seams parted when I washed the dress

to go away or cause to go away from one another; stop or cause to stop seeing each otherthe couple parted amicably

(intr foll by from) to leave; say goodbye (to)

(intr foll by with) to relinquish, esp reluctantlyI couldn't part with my teddy bear

(tr foll by from) to cause to relinquish, esp reluctantlyhe's not easily parted from his cash

(intr) to split; separatethe path parts here

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

(intr) a euphemism for die 1 (def. 1)

(intr) archaic to depart

part company

to end a friendship or association, esp as a result of a quarrel; separatethey were in partnership, but parted company last year
(foll by with) to leave; go away from; be separated from

adverb

to some extent; partly

Word Origin for part

C13: via Old French from Latin partīre to divide, from pars a part

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for parting (1 of 3)

parting

"action of going away," c.1300, verbal noun from part (v.). As "separation of persons," early 14c.

Word Origin and History for parting (1 of 3)

part

mid-13c., "division, portion of a whole," from Old French part "share, portion; character; power, dominion; side, way, path," from Latin partem (nominative pars) "a part, piece, a share, a division; a party or faction; a part of the body; a fraction; a function, office," related to portio "share, portion," from PIE root *pere- "to assign, allot" (cf. Greek peprotai "it has been granted," Sanskrit purtam "reward," Hittite parshiya- "fraction, part").

It has replaced native deal (n.) in most senses. Theatrical sense (late 15c.) is from an actor's "share" in a performance (The Latin plural partis was used in the same sense). Meaning "the parting of the hair" is 1890, American English.

As an adjective from 1590s. Late Old English part "part of speech" did not survive and the modern word is considered a separate borrowing. Phrase for the most part is from late 14c. To take part "participate" is from late 14c.

Word Origin and History for parting (2 of 3)

part

c.1200, "to divide into parts; separate oneself," from Old French partir "to divide, separate" (10c.), from Latin partire, partere "to share, part, distribute, divide," from pars (see part (n.)).

Sense of "to separate (someone from someone else)" is from early 14c.; that of "to take leave" is from early 15c. Meaning "to separate the hair" is attested from 1610s. Related: Parted; parting. To part with "surrender" is from c.1300.

Medicine definitions for parting

part

[ pärt ]

n.

A portion, division, piece, or segment of a whole.

Any of several equal portions or fractions that can constitute a whole or into which a whole can be divided.

An organ, member, or other division of an organism.

An anatomical part; pars.

parts The external genitalia.

Idioms and Phrases with parting

part

In addition to the idioms beginning with part

part and parcel
part company
parting of the ways
parting shot
part with
party line

also see:

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

parting

noun

adjective

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of parting

Definition for parting (2 of 2)

part

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

adverb

Verb Phrases

Origin of part

Examples from the Web for parting

British Dictionary definitions for parting (1 of 2)

parting

noun

adjective (prenominal)

British Dictionary definitions for parting (2 of 2)

part

noun

verb

adverb

Word Origin for part

Word Origin and History for parting (1 of 3)

parting

Word Origin and History for parting (1 of 3)

part

Word Origin and History for parting (2 of 3)

part

Medicine definitions for parting

part

n.

Idioms and Phrases with parting

part