I. noun
or par·ti·zan ˈpär]d.ə̇zən, ˈpȧ], ]tə̇-, -ə̇sən sometimes -ˌzaa or -aa(ə)n, chiefly Brit ˌpȧtiˈzan
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French partisan, from Old Italian partigiano, from parte part, party, faction, from Latin part-, pars part — more at part
1.
a. : one that takes the part of another : an adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person
neither by birth nor breeding … a partisan of the imperial cause — G.H.Sabine
b. : a strong or devoted supporter : a zealous advocate
wrote frankly as a partisan of the liberals — W.A.White
c. : an adherent characterized by prejudiced, unreasoning, blind, or fanatical allegiance
the chaotic, hysterical feelings of the … partisans of fascism — American Scholar
a doctrinaire and utopian partisan of democracy — R.A.Dahl
2.
a.
(1) : a member of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy
(2) : a leader or commander of such a body of light troops
b. : a member of a guerrilla band operating within enemy lines and engaged chiefly in demolition, incendiarism, sabotage, and diversionary attacks
the partisans acted in … advance of regular army formations — C.P.Fitzgerald
Polish partisans had blown up two trains — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union
3.
[American French partisan leader of an Indian war party or hunting party, from French, member of a body of detached light troops, adherent to a party or person]
: the leader of a band of No. American trappers
II. adjective
or partizan “
1. : of, carried on by, or being military partisans
captain of a partisan company of light dragoons — American Guide Series: Delaware
partisan fighters who … use every obscure trick of guerrilla warfare — New Republic
partisan warfare
2. : exhibiting, characterized by, or resulting from partisanship
intensified partisan passions caused one noted duel — American Guide Series: Virginia
the principle is that partisan politics stops at the water's edge — Arthur Krock
criticism conceived in a purely fault-finding or partisan spirit — F.D.Roosevelt
3. : composed of, based upon, or controlled by a single political party or group
change the Tariff Commission from a nonpartisan to a partisan body — New Republic
giving the governor a greater degree of partisan control over the legislature — Western Political Quarterly
— compare bipartisan
III. noun
or partizan “\
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French partisane, from Old Italian partigiana, partesana, feminine of partigiano
: a military weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries having a long shaft and broad bladed head and resembling in part both a spear and a halberd