part

1 of 5

noun

ˈpärt 

plural parts

1

a(1)

: one of the often indefinite or unequal subdivisions into which something is or is regarded as divided and which together constitute the whole

… the road was passable only part of the year …

—Samuel Johnson

(2)

: an essential portion or integral element

Change is an inevitable part of life.

b

: one of several or many equal units of which something is composed or into which it is divisible : an amount equal to another amount

mix one part of the powder with three parts of water

c(1)

: an exact divisor of a quantity : aliquot

(2)

: partial fraction

d

: one of the constituent elements of a plant or animal body: such as

(1)

: organ, member

The stomach is part of the digestive system.

(2)

parts plural : private parts

e

: a division of a literary work

a novel in four parts

f(1)

: a vocal or instrumental line or melody in concerted music or in harmony

(2)

: a particular voice or instrument in concerted music

also : the score for it

the violin part

g

: a constituent member of a machine or other apparatus

the parts of an airplane

also : a spare part

automobile parts

2

: something falling to one in a division or apportionment : share

wanted no part of the proposal

3

: one's share or allotted task (as in an action) : duty

one must do one's part

4

: one of the opposing sides in a conflict or dispute

he that is not against us is on our part

—Mark 9:40 (King James Version)

5

: a general area of indefinite boundaries

—usually used in plural

you're not from around these parts

took off for parts unknown

6

: a function or course of action performed

objected to the government's part in the strike

see also take part

7

a

: an actor's lines in a play, movie, etc.

The actress learned her part well.

b

: the role of a character in a play, movie, etc.

played the part of the villain

8

: a constituent of character or capacity : talent

a man of many parts

9

: the line where the hair is parted

His part was on the left side of his head.

part

2 of 5

verb

parted; parting; parts

intransitive verb

1

a

: to separate from or take leave of someone

b

: to take leave of one another

2

: to become separated into parts

3

a

: to go away : depart

b

: die

4

: to become separated, detached, or broken

5

: to relinquish possession or control

hated to part with that money

transitive verb

1

a

: to divide into parts

b

: to separate by combing on each side of a line

c

: to break or suffer the breaking of (something, such as a rope or anchor chain)

2

: to divide into shares and distribute : apportion

3

a

: to remove from contact or association

if aught but death part thee and me

—Ruth 1:17 (King James Version)

b

: to keep separate

the narrow channel that parts England from France

c

: to hold (people, such as brawlers) apart

d

: to separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion

4

a

archaic : leave, quit

b

dialectal British : relinquish, give up

part

3 of 5

adverb

: partly

part

4 of 5

adjective

: partial sense 1

part

5 of 5

abbreviation

1

participial; participle

2

particular

Phrases

for one's part

: as far as one's share or interest is concerned

for my part, I do not see that the difference is important

—Mary McCarthy

for the most part

: in general : on the whole

for the most part the crowd was orderly

in part

: in some degree : partially

on one's part or on the part of one

: with regard to the one specified

part company

1

: to end a relationship or association

2

: to diverge from another (as in opinion)

—often used with with

Synonyms

Noun

• member
• partition
• portion
• section
• segment

Verb

• branch (out)
• diverge
• divide
• fork
• separate
• spread

Adverb

• half
• halfway
• incompletely
• partially
• partly
• partway

Choose the Right Synonym for part

Noun

part, portion, piece, member, division, section, segment, fragment mean something less than the whole.

part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Verb

separate, part, divide, sever, sunder, divorce mean to become or cause to become disunited or disjointed.

separate may imply any of several causes such as dispersion, removal of one from others, or presence of an intervening thing.

separated her personal life from her career

part implies the separating of things or persons in close union or association.

vowed never to part

divide implies separating into pieces or sections by cutting or breaking.

civil war divided the nation

sever implies violence especially in the removal of a part or member.

a severed limb

sunder suggests violent rending or wrenching apart.

a city sundered by racial conflict

divorce implies separating two things that commonly interact and belong together.

cannot divorce scientific research from moral responsibility

Examples of part in a Sentence

Noun

The entire book is good, but the best part is the ending.

I don't remember him saying that. I must have missed that part.

The mechanic had to order the part from the manufacturer.

The parts of a radio include the speaker, dials, and antenna.

Do you have any spare parts for this model of car?

the moving parts of the machine

parts of the human body

My favorite part of the chicken is the drumstick.

a diagram labeling the different parts of the flower

Come join us and be part of a winning team.

Verb

The crowd parted to let the president through.

The rain stopped and the clouds parted.

The big red curtains parted to reveal a new car!

The Bible tells the story of how God parted the Red Sea.

She closed her eyes and parted her lips.

She parts her hair on the side.

His dark hair was parted down the middle.

The two lovers parted at dawn.

Tomorrow we shall part and, I fear, never see each other again.

She couldn't bear the thought of parting from her family.

Adverb

The story is part science and part fiction.

The Chimera is a monster in Greek mythology that is part lion, part goat, and part serpent.

Adjective

The claim is a part truth—there is more to the story than they are telling you.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As Assad fell, Israeli tanks and troops crossed into Syria and seized a hundred and fifty square miles of the Golan Heights, a demilitarized zone patrolled by the U.N. since 1974, as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire after the last war between Israel and Syria. —Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024

General Motors, for its part, is flooding the market in 2025 with new EVs. —Brooke Crothers, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

Verb

Although Lopez kept it modest with the lacy sleeves, the shirt parted at the bottom, revealing her abs. —Charna Flam, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024

Yet by the seventies the generations had parted so thoroughly that experts tended to accuse seniors of neglect. —Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Adverb

François Girard’s take — part mysterious, part mystifying — on Wagner’s last opera is one of the Met’s most interesting productions of the last decade or so, and returns for the first time since its premiere in 2013. —David Allen, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2018

Adjective

For Kirsten Paulson, who lives part time in Otis, that’s all a selling point. —Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov. 2024

Shop the Gallery Further Reading Part history lesson, part coffee-table book, and part private journal, Walter Anderson: The Extraordinary Life and Art of the Islander by Robert St. John and Anthony Thaxton is a gate- way into the mind of the creative genius. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Old English, both from Latin part-, pars; perhaps akin to Latin parare to prepare — more at pare

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French partir, from Latin partire to divide, from part-, pars

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing part

• act the part
• a good part of
• beauty part
• discretion is the better part of valor
• do one's part
• dress the part
• for someone's part
• have a part in
• have a part to play
• have no part in
• imaginary part
• in good/great/large part
• in large part
• in no small part
• look the part
• on someone's part
• on the part of (someone)
• part and parcel
• part and parcel of
• part company
• part of speech
• part of the package
• part owner
• part-song
• part-time
• part ways
• part with
• play a part in
• play no part in
• play the part
• real part
• speaking part/role
• sub-part
• take part
• take someone's part
• take (something) in good part
• the beauty part
• the best/better/greater part of
• took no part
• voice part
• want no part of/in

Kids Definition

part

1 of 3 noun

ˈpärt 

1

a

: one of the pieces into which something can be divided

b

: one of the equal units of which something is composed

a fifth part for each

c

: a portion of a plant or animal body : member, organ

wash the injured part

d

: a particular melody or line of music for one voice or instrument or a certain group of voices or instruments in harmony with others

e

: a piece of a machine or equipment

2

: a person's share, duty, or function

did my part

3

: one of the sides in a conflict

take another's part in a quarrel

4

: a general area : region

—usually used in plural

you're not from around these parts

5

: a role in a play

6

: the line where the hair is divided in combing

part

2 of 3 verb

1

: to separate from or leave someone : go away : depart

2

: to become separated, detached, or broken

the ice parted

3

: to give up possession or control

wouldn't part with their old car

4

a

: to divide into parts

b

: to separate by combing on each side of a line

part

3 of 3 adverb

: partly

was only part right

Medical Definition

part

noun

ˈpärt 

1

: one of several or many like units into which something is divided or of which it is composed : a proportional division or ingredient

mix the powder with three parts of water

2

: a portion of an animal body: as

a

: an essential anatomical element : organ, member

the chief parts of the digestive system are the esophagus, stomach, intestine, and associated glands

b

: an indefinite area or one lacking or not considered in respect to a natural boundary

bathe the affected part with warm water