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
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)
d
: one of the constituent elements of a plant or animal body: such as
(2)
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)
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.
parted; parting; parts
1
a
: to separate from or take leave of someone
b
: to take leave of one another
2
: to become separated into parts
4
: to become separated, detached, or broken
5
: to relinquish possession or control
hated to part with that money
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)
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
b
dialectal British
: relinquish, give up
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
Mary McCarthy
: in general : on the whole
for the most part the crowd was orderly
: in some degree : partially
: with regard to the one specified
1
: to end a relationship or association
2
: to diverge from another (as in opinion)
—often used with with
Synonyms
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 WebTatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Advertisement After weathering a devastating pandemic that shut down theaters for months, two of the most essential parts of the Hollywood machine, writers and actors, went on strike.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
As Israel expanded its offensive operations over the past months, Gaza’s population — civilians, Hamas militants and hostages alike — have been driven into an ever-smaller space in the southern part of the enclave, where aid organizations have described an increasingly dire situation.
—Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Cooler temperatures in the shade also allow the nectar to last longer.
Nectar can be bought at the store or made easily at home by mixing and boiling four parts water with one part sugar.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Apr. 2024
The competitive landscape differs from many other parts of the world thanks to Showmax being a serious local competitor to the global streaming platforms.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
In the past, treatments were blunt tools that caused lots of collateral damage to healthy parts of the body while treating cancer.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 12 Apr. 2024
In total, 200 volunteers installed 650 smoke alarms in 255 homes in San Diego as part of this year’s program.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Democrats in the state Legislature passed the law last year in part as an acknowledgement that many of the more than 500,000 people who work in fast food restaurants are not teenagers earning some spending money, but adults working to support their families.
—Terry Chea, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2024
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Apr. 2024
Typically, these bangs are longer than the usual idea of straight-across forehead bangs, and parted in a way that frames the face on each side without blocking your eyesight or covering your forehead.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2024
Then the clouds parted and the sun appeared, obscured by the moon.
—Christopher Maag, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
As parting gift, Shohei Ohtani slugged his first home run in Dodger blue, a 430-foot solo shot off Taylor Rogers in the seventh that proved to be valuable insurance when Jorge Soler answered with an even more impressive 452-foot solo shot the following inning.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
The parting lots open at 10 a.m. Stadium gates open at noon.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
By the time the fog had parted, the ships were set to collide.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
De Beers earrings could be seen peeking through her hair, which was sleekly parted down the middle.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
Your stylist will start the actual installation process by sectioning your hair — first by parting it into rows, then segmenting those rows into even smaller sections that are about the width of your tape-in extension pieces.
—Tayler Adigun, Allure, 25 Mar. 2024
David Allen, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2018
Joseph Wolkin, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
The canine, who is part Siberian husky and part Pomeranian, is a loving companion to his human sibling with autism and is adored by his entire family.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2023
Premiered in 1954 in Caracas, Venezuela, and based on a poem by Alberto Arvelo Torrealba, the cantata tells a tale that is part Venezuelan folklore, part Faustian bargain.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2023
McAlevey, who has lived part time in the Bay Area for the past twenty years, is a diehard Golden State fan.
—Eleni Schirmer, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2023
Native Range: North America USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Size: 6 to 9 feet tall and wide
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
12
FAQs
Where do dogwoods grow best?
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 28 Aug. 2023
Now, after a four-year hiatus, the lingerie brand came back Wednesday night with a complete overhaul that was part fashion event and part preview of a documentary-style film featuring 20 global creatives.
—Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023
Her mother, Geraldine (Cummings) Blair, was a homemaker who worked part time in a local Christmas shop and as a library volunteer.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 28 July 2023
According to a news release, an applicant may be studying full or part time.
—Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2023
Noun
Following the success of the two-night, four part series, ID greenlit a bonus fifth episode, Breaking the Silence, that released April 7.
—Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Advertisement After weathering a devastating pandemic that shut down theaters for months, two of the most essential parts of the Hollywood machine, writers and actors, went on strike.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
As Israel expanded its offensive operations over the past months, Gaza’s population — civilians, Hamas militants and hostages alike — have been driven into an ever-smaller space in the southern part of the enclave, where aid organizations have described an increasingly dire situation.
—Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Cooler temperatures in the shade also allow the nectar to last longer.
Nectar can be bought at the store or made easily at home by mixing and boiling four parts water with one part sugar.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Apr. 2024
The competitive landscape differs from many other parts of the world thanks to Showmax being a serious local competitor to the global streaming platforms.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
In the past, treatments were blunt tools that caused lots of collateral damage to healthy parts of the body while treating cancer.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 12 Apr. 2024
In total, 200 volunteers installed 650 smoke alarms in 255 homes in San Diego as part of this year’s program.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Democrats in the state Legislature passed the law last year in part as an acknowledgement that many of the more than 500,000 people who work in fast food restaurants are not teenagers earning some spending money, but adults working to support their families.
—Terry Chea, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2024
Verb
The musician and Fenty Beauty founder was snapped leaving the Nice Guy restaurant in Los Angeles on April 11 with long, light baby blonde hair parted in the center and styled in loose, casual bends and waves.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Apr. 2024
Typically, these bangs are longer than the usual idea of straight-across forehead bangs, and parted in a way that frames the face on each side without blocking your eyesight or covering your forehead.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2024
Then the clouds parted and the sun appeared, obscured by the moon.
—Christopher Maag, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
As parting gift, Shohei Ohtani slugged his first home run in Dodger blue, a 430-foot solo shot off Taylor Rogers in the seventh that proved to be valuable insurance when Jorge Soler answered with an even more impressive 452-foot solo shot the following inning.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
The parting lots open at 10 a.m. Stadium gates open at noon.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
By the time the fog had parted, the ships were set to collide.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
De Beers earrings could be seen peeking through her hair, which was sleekly parted down the middle.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
Your stylist will start the actual installation process by sectioning your hair — first by parting it into rows, then segmenting those rows into even smaller sections that are about the width of your tape-in extension pieces.
—Tayler Adigun, Allure, 25 Mar. 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
Hendrick Motorsports, the four-car Nascar Cup Series powerhouse, will compete part time in the Nascar Xfinity Series once again this year.
—Joseph Wolkin, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
The canine, who is part Siberian husky and part Pomeranian, is a loving companion to his human sibling with autism and is adored by his entire family.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2023
Premiered in 1954 in Caracas, Venezuela, and based on a poem by Alberto Arvelo Torrealba, the cantata tells a tale that is part Venezuelan folklore, part Faustian bargain.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2023
McAlevey, who has lived part time in the Bay Area for the past twenty years, is a diehard Golden State fan.
—Eleni Schirmer, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2023
Native Range: North America USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Size: 6 to 9 feet tall and wide
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
12
FAQs
Where do dogwoods grow best?
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 28 Aug. 2023
Now, after a four-year hiatus, the lingerie brand came back Wednesday night with a complete overhaul that was part fashion event and part preview of a documentary-style film featuring 20 global creatives.
—Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023
Her mother, Geraldine (Cummings) Blair, was a homemaker who worked part time in a local Christmas shop and as a library volunteer.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 28 July 2023
According to a news release, an applicant may be studying full or part time.
—Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'part.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to part
Dictionary Entries Near part
Cite this Entry
“Part.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/part. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
part
1 of 3 noun1
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
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 verb1
: 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
noun1
: 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
b
: an indefinite area or one lacking or not considered in respect to a natural boundary
bathe the affected part with warm water
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