third party

noun

1. any party to an incident, case, quarrel, etc., who is incidentally involved.

2. (in a two-party system) a political party formed as a dissenting or independent group from members of one or both of the two prevailing major parties.

third party

noun

1. a person who is involved by chance or only incidentally in a legal proceeding, agreement, or other transaction, esp one against whom a defendant claims indemnity

adjective

1. insurance providing protection against liability caused by accidental injury or death of other persons or damage to their property

   third-party insurance

Word History and Origins

Origin of third party¹

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805

Example Sentences

However, she could add a “trust protector” clause — a third party that oversees the actions of the trustee.

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The townspeople were objecting to local government taking private property and turning it over to a third party, in the name of some vague public purpose on which the town’s people had never voted.

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Two other climbers in a third party survived.

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She could — and probably should — appoint an independent third party to avert any further conflict.

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The third party asked that he and the firefighters not be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

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Related Words

• mediator