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Definition of Partisan - 8 dictionary results

par⋅ti⋅san

1  [pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn; Brit. pahr-tuh-zan]
Use Partisan in a Sentence
–noun
1. an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, esp. a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.
2. Military. a member of a party of light or irregular troops engaged in harassing an enemy, esp. a member of a guerrilla band engaged in fighting or sabotage against an occupying army.
–adjective
3. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of partisans; partial to a specific party, person, etc.: partisan politics.
4. of, pertaining to, or carried on by military partisans or guerrillas.
Also, partizan.

Origin:
1545–55; < MF < Upper It parteźan (Tuscan partigiano), equiv. to part(e) faction, part + -eźan (< VL *-ēs- -ese + L -iānus -ian )

Related forms:
par⋅ti⋅san⋅ship, par⋅ti⋅san⋅ry, noun

Synonyms:
1. See follower. 3. biased, prejudiced.

Antonyms:
1. opponent.

par⋅ti⋅san

2  [pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn]
–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:
1550–60; < MF partizane < Upper It parteźana, prob. by ellipsis from *arma parteźana weapon borne by members of a faction; see partisan 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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par·ti·san 1   (pär'tĭ-zən)   
n.  
  1. A fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
  2. A member of an organized body of fighters who attack or harass an enemy, especially within occupied territory; a guerrilla.
adj.  
  1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan or partisans.
  2. Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause: partisan politics.

[French, from Old French, from Old Italian dialectal partisano, variant of Old Italian partigiano, from parte, part, from Latin pars, part-; see part.]
par'ti·san·ship' n.
par·ti·san 2 also par·ti·zan   (pär'tĭ-zən)   
n.  A weapon having a blade with lateral projections mounted on the end of a long shaft, used chiefly in the 16th and 17th centuries.

[French partizane, from Italian dialectal *(arma) partisana, partisan (weapon), feminine sing. of partisano, supporter; see partisan1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Partisan

Par"ti*san\, n. [F., fr. It. partigiano. See Party, and cf. Partisan a truncheon.] [Written also partizan.]

1. An adherent to a party or faction; esp., one who is strongly and passionately devoted to a party or an interest. "The violence of a partisan." --Macaulay.

Both sides had their partisans in the colony. --Jefferson.

2. (Mil.) (a) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy. (b) Any member of such a corps.

Partisan

Par"ti*san\, a. [Written also partizan.]

1. Adherent to a party or faction; especially, having the character of blind, passionate, or unreasonable adherence to a party; as, blinded by partisan zeal.

2. (Mil.) Serving as a partisan in a detached command; as, a partisan officer or corps.

Partisan ranger (Mil.), a member of a partisan corps.

Partisan

Par"ti*san\, n. [F. pertuisane, prob. fr. It. partigiana, influenced in French by OF. pertuisier to pierce. It was prob. so named as the weapon of some partisans, or party men. Cf. Partisan one of a corps of light troops.] A kind of halberd or pike; also, a truncheon; a staff.

And make him with our pikes and partisans a grave. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Partisan
Spanish: partidario,
German: der, *die Partisanen,
Japanese: 支持者
More Translations »

partisan  (n.)
1555, "one who takes part with another, zealous supporter," from M.Fr. partisan (15c.), from dial. upper It. partezan (Tuscan partigiano) "member of a faction, partner," from parte "part, party," from L. partem (nom. pars), see part (n.). Sense of "guerilla fighter" is first recorded 1692. The adj. is 1708 for warfare, 1842 for politics.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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