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partisan

1
[ pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn; British pahr-tuh-zan ]
/ ˈpɑr tə zən, -sən; British ˌpɑr təˈzén /
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See synonyms for: partisan / partisanship on Thesaurus.com
noun
an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.
Military. a member of a party of light or irregular troops engaged in harassing an enemy, especially a member of a guerrilla band engaged in fighting or sabotage against an occupying army.
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of partisans; partial to a specific party, person, etc.: partisan politics.
of, relating to, or carried on by military partisans or guerrillas.
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Sometimes par·ti·zan .

Origin of partisan

1
First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Upper Italian parteĆșan (Tuscan partigiano ), equivalent to part(e) “faction, part” (see part) + -eĆșan (from unattested Vulgar Latin -ēs- adjective suffix of place (see -ese) + Latin -iānus adjective suffix (see -ian)

synonym study for partisan

1. See follower.

OTHER WORDS FROM partisan

par·ti·san·ship, par·ti·san·ry, noun

Words nearby partisan

parting shot, parting strip, parti pris, Parti Québécois, partis, partisan, partisanism, partisanship, partita, partite, partition

Other definitions for partisan (2 of 2)

partisan2
[ pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn ]
/ ˈpɑr tə zən, -sən /
noun
a shafted weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries, having as a head a long spear blade with a pair of curved lobes at the base.
Also par·ti·zan [pahr-tuh-zuhn] /ˈpɑr tə zən/ .
Compare halberd.

Origin of partisan

2
1550–60; <Middle French partizane <Upper Italian parteĆșana, probably by ellipsis from (unattested) arma parteĆșana “weapon borne by members of a faction”; see partisan1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to partisan

biased, one-sided, sectarian, sympathetic, unjust, backer, defender, devotee, follower, stalwart, supporter, sympathizer, zealot, accessory, blind, colored, die-hard, exclusive, fanatic, partial

How to use partisan in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for partisan (1 of 2)

partisan1

partizan

/ (ˌpɑːtÉȘˈzĂŠn, ˈpɑːtÉȘˌzĂŠn) /
noun
an adherent or devotee of a cause, party, etc
  1. a member of an armed resistance group within occupied territory, esp in Italy or the Balkans in World War II
  2. (as modifier)partisan forces
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan
relating to or excessively devoted to one party, faction, etc; one-sidedpartisan control

Derived forms of partisan

partisanship or partizanship, noun

Word Origin for partisan

C16: via French, from Old Italian partigiano, from parte faction, from Latin pars part

British Dictionary definitions for partisan (2 of 2)

partisan2

partizan

/ (ˈpɑːtÉȘzən) /
noun
a spear or pike with two opposing axe blades or spikes

Word Origin for partisan

C16: from French partizane, from Old Italian partigiana, from partigiano partisan 1
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
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