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. 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.] parti·san·ship′ n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. A weapon having a blade with lateral projections mounted on the end of a long shaft, used chiefly in the 1500s and 1600s. [French partizane, from Italian dialectal *(arma) partisana, partisan (weapon), feminine sing. of partisano, supporter; see PARTISAN1.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.