partner

American  

[pahrt-ner] / ˈpɑrt nər /

noun

1. a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor; sharer; associate.

   Synonyms:

   accomplice, accessory, colleague

2. Law.

   1. a person associated with another or others as a principal or a contributor of capital in a business or a joint venture, usually sharing its risks and profits.

   2. special partner.

3. silent partner.

4. a spouse; a husband or a wife.

5. the person with whom one cohabits in a romantic relationship.

   I'd like you to meet my partner, Sarah.

6. either of two people who dance together.

   my favorite partner in the waltz.

7. a player on the same side or team as another.

   My tennis partner was an excellent player.

8. Nautical. partners, a framework of timber round a hole in a ship's deck, to support a mast, capstan, pump, etc.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to associate as a partner or partners with.

2. to serve as the partner of.

partner British  

/ ˈpɑːtnə /

noun

1. an ally or companion

   a partner in crime

2. a member of a partnership

3. one of a pair of dancers or players on the same side in a game

   my bridge partner

4. either member of a couple in a relationship

---

verb

1. to be or cause to be a partner (of)

Other Word Forms

• nonpartner noun
• partnerless adjective
• underpartner noun

Etymology

Origin of partner

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English partener, alteration of parcener by association with part

Explanation

If you open a lemonade stand with your brother, then your brother is your business partner. Partner means "to pair up." At a square dance, the call "partner up!" means it's time to find someone to dance with. In business, there are often multiple partners — each one owns a share of the business, and has a share of the risk. Some people call their spouse or the person they're in a long-term relationship with their partner — it has more egalitarian senses than "husband" or "wife," and signals commitment even if you're not married.

Example Sentences

But by the time she became a mother, Cuba was in the throes of an economic crisis triggered by the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, its main trading partner and benefactor.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

He later said that he planned to “be on Tinder” later that night so he could begin his search for the ideal partner.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

When Wells Fargo told the fintech Bilt that it would no longer be the lender for its rent-rewards credit card, Bilt scrambled to find another large bank partner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

When Chris Tuczemskyi reflects on the freak accident that killed his partner, he gives thanks that her final act was to save their daughter's life.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Rudolf Abel had a bad feeling about his new partner.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• ally
• associate
• colleague
• companion
• friend
• husband
• participant
• spouse
• wife