partisan

• partizan

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɑː.tɪˌzæn/, /ˌpɑː.təˈzæn/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpɑɹ.ɾɪ.zən/, /ˈpɑɹ.ɾə.zən/

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From French partisan, from Italian partigiano (“defender of a party”), from parte (“part”). English from the mid-16th century. The sense of "guerilla fighter" is from c. 1690. The adjective in the military sense dates from the early 18th century, in the political sense since 1842.

partisan (plural partisans)

1. An adherent to a party or faction.
   • 1992, Thomas R. Pegram, "Partisans and Progressives: Private Interest and Public Policy in Illinois

     "Strong partisans of neither party, Indiana farmers failed to act as a block […] "

2. A fervent, sometimes militant, supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
3. A member of a band of detached light, irregular troops acting behind occupying enemy lines in the ways of harassment or sabotage; a guerrilla fighter
4. (now rare) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy.

• part
• party

partisan (comparative more partisan, superlative most partisan)

1. Serving as commander or member of a body of detached light troops: as, a partisan officer or corps.
2. Adherent to a party or faction; especially, having the character of blind, passionate, or unreasonable adherence to a party

   They were blinded by partisan zeal.

3. Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause: partisan politics.
   • 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport‎:

     England will regard it as a measure of justice for Frank Lampard's disallowed goal against Germany in Bloemfontein at the 2010 World Cup - but it was also an illustration of how they rode their luck for long periods in front of a predictably partisan home crowd.

From Middle French partizaine, partisanne et al., from Italian partigiana, related to Etymology 1 above (apparently because it was seen as a typical weapon of such forces).

partisan (plural partisans)

1. (historical) A long-handled spear with a triangular, double-edged blade having lateral projections, in some forms also used in boar hunting. Obsolescent after the 17th century until revived by Sir Walter Scott.[1]
   • Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra:

     I had as lief have a reed that will do me no service as a partisan I could not heave.

   • Sir Walter Scott, The Talisman:

     Salisbury and his attendants were also now drawing near, with bills and partisans brandished, and bows already bended.

2. (obsolete) A soldier armed with such a weapon.

• halberd

• Partisan in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

• Partains, aspirant, spartina

From Italian partigiano.

• IPA^(key): /paʁ.ti.zɑ̃/

• Audio

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partisan m (plural partisans, feminine partisane)

1. supporter, proponent, advocate

partisan (feminine singular partisane, masculine plural partisans, feminine plural partisanes)

1. partisan, partial
2. in favour of

• “partisan” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

• aspirant

Borrowed from French partisan.

partisan m (plural partisans)

1. (Jersey) supporter

From Italian partigiano, via French partisan

partisan m (definite singular partisanen, indefinite plural partisaner, definite plural partisanene)

1. a partisan (member of an armed group)

• “partisan” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

From Italian partigiano, via French partisan

partisan m (definite singular partisanen, indefinite plural partisanar, definite plural partisanane)

1. a partisan (member of an armed group)

• “partisan” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.