partisan

1
[ pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn; British pahr-tuh-zan ]
/ ˈpɑr tə zən, -sən; British ˌpɑr təˈzæn /

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.

synonym study for partisan

1. See follower.

OTHER WORDS FROM partisan

par·ti·san·ship, par·ti·san·ry, noun

Example sentences from the Web for partisanship

British Dictionary definitions for partisanship (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 partisanship (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