partisan

1
[ pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn; British pahr-tuh-zan ]
/ ˈpɑr tə zən, -sən; British ˌpɑr təˈzæn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR partisan ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.
Military. a member of a party of light or irregular troops engaged in harassing an enemy, especially a member of a guerrilla band engaged in fighting or sabotage against an occupying army.

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of partisans; partial to a specific party, person, etc.: partisan politics.
of, relating to, or carried on by military partisans or guerrillas.
Also partizan.

Origin of partisan

1
1545–55; < Middle French, from Upper Italian parteźan (Tuscan partigiano), equivalent to part(e) “faction, part” + -eźan (from unattested Vulgar Latin *-ēs- -ese + Latin -iānus -ian)

SYNONYMS FOR partisan

3 biased, prejudiced.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR partisan ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for partisan

1. See follower.

OTHER WORDS FROM partisan

par·ti·san·ship, par·ti·san·ry, noun

Words nearby partisan

parting line, parting of the ways, parting shot, parting strip, partis, partisan, partisanism, partita, partite, partition, partition chromatography

Definition for partisan (2 of 2)

partisan 2
[ pahr-tuh-zuh n, -suh n ]
/ ˈpɑr tə zən, -sən /

noun

a shafted weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries, having as a head a long spear blade with a pair of curved lobes at the base.
Also partizan.
Compare halberd.

Origin of partisan

2
1550–60; < Middle French partizane < Upper Italian parteźana, probably by ellipsis from *arma parteźana weapon borne by members of a faction; see partisan1

Words related to partisan

sympathetic, unjust, biased, sectarian, one-sided, devotee, sympathizer, backer, follower, zealot, defender, stalwart, supporter, blind, exclusive, partial, colored, fanatic, accessory, diehard

Example sentences from the Web for partisan

British Dictionary definitions for partisan (1 of 2)

partisan 1

partizan

/ (ˌpɑːtɪˈzæn, ˈpɑːtɪˌzæn) /

noun

an adherent or devotee of a cause, party, etc
  1. a member of an armed resistance group within occupied territory, esp in Italy or the Balkans in World War II
  2. (as modifier)partisan forces

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan
relating to or excessively devoted to one party, faction, etc; one-sided partisan control

Derived forms of partisan

partisanship or partizanship, noun

Word Origin for partisan

C16: via French, from Old Italian partigiano, from parte faction, from Latin pars part

British Dictionary definitions for partisan (2 of 2)

partisan 2

partizan

/ (ˈpɑːtɪzən) /

noun

a spear or pike with two opposing axe blades or spikes

Word Origin for partisan

C16: from French partizane, from Old Italian partigiana, from partigiano partisan 1