part

noun

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\ ˈpärt

plural parts

Definition of part

(Entry 1 of 5)

1a(1) : one of the often indefinite or unequal subdivisions into which something is or is regarded as divided and which together constitute the whole … the road was passable only part of the year …— Samuel Johnson

(2) : an essential portion or integral element Change is an inevitable part of life.

b : one of several or many equal units of which something is composed or into which it is divisible : an amount equal to another amount mix one part of the powder with three parts of water

c(1) : an exact divisor of a quantity : aliquot

(2) : partial fraction

d : one of the constituent elements of a plant or animal body: such as

(1) : organ, member The stomach is part of the digestive system.

(2) parts plural : private parts

e : a division of a literary work a novel in four parts

f(1) : a vocal or instrumental line or melody in concerted music or in harmony

(2) : a particular voice or instrument in concerted music also : the score for it the violin part

g : a constituent member of a machine or other apparatus the parts of an airplane also : a spare part automobile parts

2 : something falling to one in a division or apportionment : share wanted no part of the proposal

3 : one's share or allotted task (as in an action) : duty one must do one's part

4 : one of the opposing sides in a conflict or dispute he that is not against us is on our part — Mark 9:40 (King James Version)

5 : a general area of indefinite boundaries —usually used in plural you're not from around these partstook off for parts unknown

6 : a function or course of action performed objected to the government's part in the strike — see also take part

7a : an actor's lines in a play, movie, etc. The actress learned her part well.

b : the role of a character in a play, movie, etc. played the part of the villain

8 : a constituent of character or capacity : talent a man of many parts

9 : the line where the hair is parted His part was on the left side of his head.

for one's part

: as far as one's share or interest is concerned for my part, I do not see that the difference is important— Mary McCarthy

for the most part

: in general : on the whole for the most part the crowd was orderly

in part

: in some degree : partially

on one's part or on the part of one

: with regard to the one specified

part

verb

parted; parting; parts

Definition of part (Entry 2 of 5)

intransitive verb

1a : to separate from or take leave of someone

b : to take leave of one another

2 : to become separated into parts

3a : to go away : depart

b : die

4 : to become separated, detached, or broken

5 : to relinquish possession or control hated to part with that money

transitive verb

1a : to divide into parts

b : to separate by combing on each side of a line

c : to break or suffer the breaking of (something, such as a rope or anchor chain)

2 : to divide into shares and distribute : apportion

3a : to remove from contact or association if aught but death part thee and me — Ruth 1:17 (King James Version)

b : to keep separate the narrow channel that parts England from France

c : to hold (people, such as brawlers) apart

d : to separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion

4a archaic : leave, quit

b dialectal British : relinquish, give up

part company

1 : to end a relationship or association

2 : to diverge from another (as in opinion) —often used with with

part

adverb

Definition of part (Entry 3 of 5)

: partly

part

adjective

Definition of part (Entry 4 of 5)

: partial sense 1

part

abbreviation

Definition of part (Entry 5 of 5)

1 participial; participle

2 particular

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about part

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Synonyms & Antonyms for part

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Adverb

Antonyms: Verb

converge,
join

Antonyms: Adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for part

Noun

part, portion, piece, member, division, section, segment, fragment mean something less than the whole. part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required. they ran only part of the way portion implies an assigned or allotted part. cut the pie into six portions piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole. a puzzle with 500 pieces member suggests one of the functional units composing a body. a structural member division applies to a large or diversified part. the manufacturing division of the company section applies to a relatively small or uniform part. the entertainment section of the newspaper segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage. the retired segment of the population fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off. only a fragment of the play still exists

Verb

separate, part, divide, sever, sunder, divorce mean to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed. separate may imply any of several causes such as dispersion, removal of one from others, or presence of an intervening thing. separated her personal life from her career part implies the separating of things or persons in close union or association. vowed never to part divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking. civil war divided the nation sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member. a severed limb sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart. a city sundered by racial conflict divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together. cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

Examples of part in a Sentence

Noun The entire book is good, but the best part is the ending. I don't remember him saying that. I must have missed that part. The mechanic had to order the part from the manufacturer. The parts of a radio include the speaker, dials, and antenna. Do you have any spare parts for this model of car? the moving parts of the machine parts of the human body My favorite part of the chicken is the drumstick. a diagram labeling the different parts of the flower Come join us and be part of a winning team. Verb The crowd parted to let the president through. The rain stopped and the clouds parted. The big red curtains parted to reveal a new car! The Bible tells the story of how God parted the Red Sea. She closed her eyes and parted her lips. She parts her hair on the side. His dark hair was parted down the middle. The two lovers parted at dawn. Tomorrow we shall part and, I fear, never see each other again. She couldn't bear the thought of parting from her family. Adverb The story is part science and part fiction. The Chimera is a monster in Greek mythology that is part lion, part goat, and part serpent. Adjective The claim is a part truth—there is more to the story than they are telling you.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Villagers raised $5,000 to help cover the team’s expenses for the trip to the state tournament, according to the Arctic Sounder, and people are thrilled that the Hunters are part of the eight-team tournament. — Beth Bragg, Anchorage Daily News, "With players from two villages and a coach so young he can’t drive the team van, the Upriver Hunters are ready to make their state tournament debut," 1 Apr. 2021 Spencer, a guard, is part of a four-member signing class that includes ESPN 5-star guard Jersey Wolfenbarger, 6-6 of Fort Smith Northside, guard Ashlyn Sage, 6-2, of Weatherford, Okla., and forward Emrie Ellis, 6-2, of Ada (Okla.) Vanoss. — Richard Davenport, Arkansas Online, "UA women's signee named player of the year," 31 Mar. 2021 The same year, Liddy was part of a break-in targeting the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers, in an effort to discredit Ellsberg. — NBC News, "G. Gordon Liddy, planner of Watergate burglary, dies at 90," 31 Mar. 2021 The flip side is the Orioles are likely not going to be able to carry a leverage reliever who was part of last year’s successful bullpen, even if whichever pitcher is left off the roster won’t be away for long. — Jon Meoli, baltimoresun.com, "‘All hands on deck’: Orioles’ familiar pitching challenges in unique year mean success will be simply surviving," 31 Mar. 2021 The seeds of the collaboration were first planted in 2015 when the two singers were part of a Suicide tribute concert in Paris. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, "Bobby Gillespie, Jehnny Beth Announce Collaborative LP ‘Utopian Ashes’," 31 Mar. 2021 After being remote for much of the year, several students said it's been beneficial to reconnect and be part of the community. — Lisa Rathke, The Enquirer, "'Weird but cool.' Students return to school, but this time in a former Macys building," 31 Mar. 2021 Maintaining six feet between people still will be required and face coverings still are required in any situation where people come in contact with others who are not part of their household, except when eating or drinking. — David Jacobs, Washington Examiner, "Edwards eases COVID-19 occupancy limits; mask mandate continues," 31 Mar. 2021 After being remote for much of the year, several students said it's been beneficial to reconnect and be part of the community. — Lisa Rathke, USA TODAY, "Vermont Macy's transforms into high school after toxic chemicals close down school building," 31 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb There appeared to be genuine hope that the Celtics could acquire Aaron Gordon from the Magic without having to part with Marcus Smart. — BostonGlobe.com, "The Celtics’ trade-deadline moves might be helpful down the stretch, even if they aren’t satisfying," 29 Mar. 2021 Green-card-seekers can expect to part ways with seventeen hundred and sixty dollars in application fees. — Ronald Metellus, The New Yorker, "Biden’s Eightfold Path to Citizenship," 26 Mar. 2021 Reports indicate the Seahawks will part ways with Reed. — oregonlive, "Seattle Seahawks re-sign one DL (Carlos Dunlap); likely to lose another (Jarran Reed)," 26 Mar. 2021 Accommodating Dalton's salary also essentially forced Pace to part with his best cornerback, Kyle Fuller, who was effectively replaced by fading Desmond Trufant. — Nate Davis, USA TODAY, "2021 NFL free agency: A week after market opens, Patriots QB Cam Newton makes list of winners and losers," 24 Mar. 2021 Another obstacle in talks is the Wolves' unwillingness to part with rookie Jaden McDaniels, a promising young two-way player. — Chris Hine, Star Tribune, "NBA trade deadline looms as Timberwolves ponder deals," 24 Mar. 2021 Albany agreed to part ways with head coach Will Brown earlier this month. — Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Marquette associate head coach Dwayne Killings will be hired by Albany," 16 Mar. 2021 Hinojosa acknowledged that this diplomatic approach suppressed overall participation, with a swath of parents and staff unwilling to part with the traditional school calendar. — Corbett Smith, Dallas News, "Too few Dallas schools opt for extended year to battle ‘COVID-slide,’ superintendent says," 16 Mar. 2021 The team has agreed to part ways with the seven-time All-Star, who had seen his role decrease throughout his 15th NBA season. — Jeff Mcdonald, San Antonio Express-News, "'This is us': As LaMarcus Aldridge departs, Spurs are who they are," 12 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb François Girard’s take — part mysterious, part mystifying — on Wagner’s last opera is one of the Met’s most interesting productions of the last decade or so, and returns for the first time since its premiere in 2013. — David Allen, New York Times, "Classical Music in NYC This Week," 1 Feb. 2018 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective And because of a change in the funding formula that counts part-time students — instead of only full-time students — community colleges will receive a significant share. — BostonGlobe.com, "Community colleges will receive a lifeline in new stimulus package," 3 Apr. 2021 In Cramlington, Richard, who works in sales, earns around £28,000 a year and his partner, a part-time administrative assistant, earns £12,000. — The Economist, "The truth behind the Tories’ northern strongholds," 31 Mar. 2021 Things have been surprisingly good during the coronavirus pandemic for her part-time business venture, a line of gourmet fortune cookies. — John-john Williams Iv, baltimoresun.com, "Some Baltimore female business owners find success through resilience during pandemic: ‘Keep going and stay driven’," 30 Mar. 2021 With restaurants, retail outlets and other industries slowly clawing their way back toward stability — many offering workers only part-time hours — charitable groups expect the extra demand to continue for several years. — Washington Post, "In a suburban parking lot, a portrait of unyielding need at food giveaway," 29 Mar. 2021 The Michigan native, who runs the pizzeria with wife Vanessa and children Jack and Ella, ran 15 Jet’s Pizza franchises in west Michigan and has lived part-time in Boynton Beach since the ’90s. — Phillip Valys, sun-sentinel.com, "Detroit-style pizza invasion: How square pies became white-hot in South Florida," 26 Mar. 2021 This also does not take into consideration women who work part-time or do not have job security. — Erin Corbett, refinery29.com, "When Will People Who Have Miscarriages Be Given Paid Leave From Work?," 26 Mar. 2021 The Australian driver has run four of the last six 500s with Coyne and is currently running a part-time slate in NASCAR with Ware. — Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, "The return of Bump Day: 33 Indy 500 entries confirmed for 2021 with room to grow," 25 Mar. 2021 There are about 7,000 full-time staff working for MPS, according to staff records, and thousands more when part-time staff are considered. — Rory Linnane, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "MPS school board approves April reopening plan, excluding most high school students," 24 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'part.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of part

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for part

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Old English, both from Latin part-, pars; perhaps akin to Latin parare to prepare — more at pare

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French partir, from Latin partire to divide, from part-, pars

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Last Updated

2 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Part.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/part. Accessed 13 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for part

part

noun

English Language Learners Definition of part

(Entry 1 of 3)

: one of the pieces, sections, qualities, etc., that make or form something

: one of the pieces that are put together to form a machine

: one of the pieces or areas of the body of a plant or animal

part

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of part (Entry 2 of 3)

: somewhat but not completely : to some extent or in some degree

part

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of part (Entry 3 of 3)

: not complete or total

See the full definition for part in the English Language Learners Dictionary

part

noun

\ ˈpärt

Kids Definition of part

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : one of the sections into which something is divided This is the best part of the movie. That wasn't part of our agreement.

2 : some of something My dog is part husky. I spent part of my day reading.

3 : a general area She moved to another part of the state.

4 : a piece of a machine

5 : one of the sides or aspects The best part of camp is making new friends.

6 : the role of a character in a play

7 : a line along which the hair is divided

8 : a person's share or duty I did my part for the team.

9 : the music for a voice or instrument the soprano part

10 : a voice or instrument four-part harmony

11 : a piece of a plant or animal body

for the most part

: with few exceptions : on the whole They were, for the most part, very pleased.

part

verb

parted; parting

Kids Definition of part (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : to leave each other They parted at the intersection.

2 : to separate the hair by combing on each side of a line

3 : to give up possession of She won't part with her money.

4 : to hold apart He parted the curtains.

5 : to come apart The crowd parted to let us through.

6 : to divide into parts

part.

abbreviation

Kids Definition of part.

participle

Choose the Right Synonym for part

Noun

part, portion, and section mean something less than the whole to which it belongs. part is used when something is taken away from the whole or thought of as being separate from the rest. A part of the room is used for storage. portion is used when a whole has been divided into assigned parts. Cut the pie into six portions. section is used if the parts of the whole are recognizable and have been separated by or as if by cutting. This newspaper has four sections.

part

noun

\ ˈpärt

Medical Definition of part

1 : one of several or many like units into which something is divided or of which it is composed : a proportional division or ingredient mix the powder with three parts of water

2 : a portion of an animal body: as

a : an essential anatomical element : organ, member the chief parts of the digestive system are the esophagus, stomach, intestine, and associated glands

b : an indefinite area or one lacking or not considered in respect to a natural boundary bathe the affected part with warm water

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