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

Average weekly wages paid for primary brewery employment in Connecticut were $573 last year, due partly to part-time hours at many smaller brewery taprooms, Dyer said. — Stephen Singer, courant.com, "Employment in Connecticut’s craft breweries is soaring, a bright spot amid sluggish job growth," 4 June 2019 In response, the company this year has converted about a quarter of its staffers from full time to part time, temporary employees who are called on to complete specific projects. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "It's great that you got a raise, but it just might hurt the stock market and the economy," 4 June 2019 The deal was for a historic 13-room, 4,500-square-foot home designed by the architect William Lightfoot Price, whose buildings — mostly in his native Delaware County — were a key part of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century. — Paul Jablow, https://www.inquirer.com, "An Arts and Crafts home with the ‘wow’ factor in Wyncote," 4 June 2019 The teacher briefly mentioned the date, explaining that this part of history was not in the textbook because it was deliberately erased. — Time Staff, Time, "'I've Been Told Lies.' Young Chinese Recall When They First Learned of Tiananmen," 4 June 2019 The sessions were part of a reunion of workers who toiled in the mill; some of their individual stories are told in an adjacent installation. — Leah Garchik, SFChronicle.com, "Connecting Lacy’s SFMOMA study of a closed mill and Warhol," 4 June 2019 Zadorsky was part of the 2016 bronze-medal squad for Canada at the Olympics in Brazil and has been a staple for Canada ever since. — Jordan Culver, Pro Soccer USA, "Shelina Zadorsky fired up for long-awaited World Cup debut with Canada," 4 June 2019 Defending the indefensible is part of the job of working for Trump, of course, and it isn’t restricted to trade policy. — John Cassidy, The New Yorker, "Trump’s Top Economist Makes a Timely Exit," 4 June 2019 Those goals no longer fit into the plans of U.S. Soccer, which has abandoned the part-time collegiate developmental model in favor of full-time European-style academy systems. — Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al.com, "Alabama-born players represent future of U.S. Soccer," 3 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

But then a dire circumstance threatens to part the child and his floppy eared toy forever. — Tom Titus, latimes.com, "On Theater: A heart-tugging ‘Rabbit’ on SCR stage," 3 June 2019 And earlier this morning, the actress and festival juror stepped out with her flaxen lengths parted at center, bound low and loose, and finished with a light pink ribbon. — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "Elle Fanning Just Served Up the Chicest—and Easiest—Summer Hair Trick in Cannes," 23 May 2019 The wind will hush, the clouds will part, the rain will stop, the sky will clear in an instant. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "30 Of The Best Quotes From All 15 Seasons Of Grey's Anatomy," 10 May 2019 Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson—who share a precious daughter, True—have parted ways after over two years together. — Nicole Saunders, Harper's BAZAAR, "A Definitive Timeline of Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson's Relationship," 21 Feb. 2019 As Jamie and Claire–about to be parted yet again—are kissing farewell, Ian steps forward. — Marie Claire, "'Outlander' Season 4 Finale Recap: 5 Biggest Takeaways," 28 Jan. 2019 Get close enough so that your mouths are just barely touching and your lips are parted—though not actually kissing. — Suzannah Weiss, Glamour, "17 Foreplay Tips & Ideas You'll Be Dying to Try," 18 Jan. 2019 Michigan hockey icon Red Berenson is parting with some of his personal hockey possessions in an online auction. — George Sipple, Detroit Free Press, "Why Michigan's Red Berenson is auctioning off personal hockey collection," 19 May 2018 In Napa, the fog rolls in from the Pacific every morning to wet the plants, then parts obligingly for the sun in the afternoon. — Junot Díaz, The New Yorker, "The Hunt for Mexico’s Heirloom Beans," 17 Apr. 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

Back then Park Avenue was part dirt road, part asphalt. — latimes.com, "Undergrounding utilities greatly improved a street in Newport Beach," 4 June 2018 However, getting visibly nervous part way through, said employee beckoned her Goop supervisor to join her, which turned out to be none other than Paltrow herself. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Gwyneth Paltrow Just Made a Surprise 'Saturday Night Live' Appearance as a Goop Employee," 10 Mar. 2019 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

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

7 Jun 2019

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