part

noun

\ˈpärt

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

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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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

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.

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

Joe Raedle/Getty Images A critical part of the Affordable Care Act’s design is that people can use the law’s financial assistance only to purchase insurance plans that comply with the law’s requirements for preexisting conditions and benefits. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "We have a new worst-case scenario for Obamacare," 3 Dec. 2018 Barrick last year said Acacia would pay $300 million as part of a deal to resolve the dispute, or nearly 40% of Acacia’s 2017 revenue, but a final agreement hasn’t been reached. — Alexandra Wexler, WSJ, "Countries Push to Extract More Cash from Big Mining Companies," 18 Nov. 2018 Permission is the hardest part—recovery is all about giving yourself permission to eat all types of foods. — Brittany Risher, SELF, "10 People Who Have Dealt With Eating Disorders Share What Recovery Looks Like for Them," 16 Nov. 2018 In most major cities, interacting with your neighbors is equal parts chance and choice. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "These Japanese homes were designed to encourage neighbor interaction," 15 Nov. 2018 Their habitat falls inside national parks spanning parts of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. — Christina Larson, The Seattle Times, "Rare conservation win: Mountain gorilla population ticks up," 14 Nov. 2018 Essentially, scientists can measure the effect of the atmosphere on light from distant objects and maneuver parts of the telescope’s optics to compensate for some of the atmospheric blurring. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Galaxy mergers hide ravenous supermassive black holes," 14 Nov. 2018 The multicolored bottles aren't the only exciting part of KKW Fragrance's latest release. — Zoe Weiner, Allure, "Kim Kardashian Is Launching Two Brand-New KKW Body Fragrances," 1 Nov. 2018 While the vocalists appeared to be censoring the lyrics for the audience, their timing was off during a few parts of the song. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "'Dancing With the Stars' Viewers Are Over Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten's "Showmance"," 30 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The decision not to part ways with the CEO may also reflect the esteem in France for Ghosn, who recently met with President Emmanuel Macron, and had met with four past presidents. — Elaine Ganley, The Seattle Times, "Renault board: Ghosn to remain CEO while detained in Japan," 19 Nov. 2018 Center-parted, the Princess of York's hair was pulled back into a low, glossy chignon with two face-framing tendrils pulled out in the front. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "See Princess Eugenie's Bridal Hairstyle," 12 Oct. 2018 Nike parted ways with at least 11 executives in March and April. — Christopher Carbone, Fox News, "Nike hit with gender discrimination lawsuit," 12 Aug. 2018 The Heat parted with Babbitt last summer only to reunite at the trading deadline for what proved to be little more than a cameo. — Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Heat still at free-agency starting line as NBA signing period opens," 6 July 2018 Weeks after making local and national waves following its decision to part ways with sideline reporter Molly Sullivan, NBC Sports Philadelphia is saying goodbye to another Sixers personality. — Rob Tornoe, Philly.com, "Sixers insider Jessica Camerato out at NBC Sports Philadelphia," 5 July 2018 The decision to part ways with Mr. Lasseter was a complicated one. — Brooks Barnes, New York Times, "Pixar Co-Founder to Leave Disney After ‘Missteps’," 8 June 2018 All eyes are on Everton following their decision to part ways with first team manager Sam Allardyce on Wednesday, but the club's first objective behind the scenes will be to replace Steve Walsh - who's been at the club since July 2016. — SI.com, "PSV Confirm Technical Director Marcel Brands Will Become Everton's New Director of Football," 16 May 2018 Graham is expected to part ways with the Seattle Seahawks when free agency begins on March 14, according to a Monday report by NFL Network. — Josh Katzenstein, NOLA.com, "Jimmy Graham expected to hit free-agent market; could a Saints reunion be next?," 5 Mar. 2018

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

Friday lunch is one of the most remarkable dining experiences in the country, part century-old tradition, part boozy revelry. — Paul Oswell, Condé Nast Traveler, "21 Best Restaurants in New Orleans," 28 Feb. 2018 The song, written by two Parkland students, was part anthem, part rallying cry, expressing their pain in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. — Madison Park, CNN, "Marjory Stoneman Douglas students sing 'Seasons of Love' in emotional performance at Tony Awards," 10 June 2018 The song, written by two Parkland students, was part anthem, part rallying cry, expressing their pain in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. — Madison Park, CNN, "Marjory Stoneman Douglas students sing 'Seasons of Love' in emotional performance at Tony Awards," 10 June 2018 The song, written by two Parkland students, was part anthem, part rallying cry, expressing their pain in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. — Madison Park, CNN, "Marjory Stoneman Douglas students sing 'Seasons of Love' in emotional performance at Tony Awards," 10 June 2018 The song, written by two Parkland students, was part anthem, part rallying cry, expressing their pain in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. — Madison Park, CNN, "Marjory Stoneman Douglas students sing 'Seasons of Love' in emotional performance at Tony Awards," 10 June 2018 The song, written by two Parkland students, was part anthem, part rallying cry, expressing their pain in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. — Madison Park, CNN, "Marjory Stoneman Douglas students sing 'Seasons of Love' in emotional performance at Tony Awards," 10 June 2018 The song, written by two Parkland students, was part anthem, part rallying cry, expressing their pain in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. — Madison Park, CNN, "Marjory Stoneman Douglas students sing 'Seasons of Love' in emotional performance at Tony Awards," 10 June 2018 The song, written by two Parkland students, was part anthem, part rallying cry, expressing their pain in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. — Madison Park, CNN, "Marjory Stoneman Douglas students sing 'Seasons of Love' in emotional performance at Tony Awards," 10 June 2018

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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Dictionary Entries near part

Statistics for part

Last Updated

6 Dec 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for part

The first known use of part was before the 12th century

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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

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