third-party

1 of 2

adjective

third-par·​ty ˈthərd-ˈpär-tē 

1

: of, relating to, or involving a third party

third-party insurance

2

: of, relating to, or being software that is created by a vendor to be compatible with the products of another vendor

third party

2 of 2

noun

1

: a person other than the principals

a third party to a divorce proceeding

insurance against injury to third parties

2

a

: a major political party operating over a limited period of time in addition to two other major parties in a nation or state normally characterized by a two-party system

b

: minor party

Examples of third-party in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In terms of third-party apps, both watches offer a massive selection, but Apple’s App Store still takes the lead. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026

As Nvidia partners with Wall Street firms to mobilize more than $500 billion of third-party capital for AI infrastructure, the increasingly complex financing underpinning the boom is coming under closer scrutiny. — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026

Noun

The memo says nothing about what happens when private corporations cause collateral damage to those third parties, or who will be responsible for it. — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

That's because debt collectors generally can't reveal your debt to third parties. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

third party

noun

1

: a person other than the main participants

a third party to the legal proceedings

2

a

: a political party operating usually for a limited time in addition to the two major parties in a 2-party system

b

: minor party

Legal Definition

third party

see also:

party sense 1a, b