/ ˈpɑːtnə(r); NAmE ˈpɑːrt-/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
the person that you are married to or having a sexual relationship with :
Come to the New Year disco and bring your partner!
a marriage partner
2.
one of the people who owns a business and shares the profits, etc. :
a partner in a law firm
a junior / senior partner
3.
a person that you are doing an activity with, such as dancing or playing a game :
a dancing / tennis, etc. partner
—see also sparring partner
4.
a country or an organization that has an agreement with another country :
a trading partner
—see also sleeping partner
■ verb
[ vn ] to be sb's partner in a dance, game, etc. :
Gerry offered to partner me at tennis.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : alteration of parcener partner, joint heir , from Anglo-Norman French parcener , based on Latin partitio(n-) partition. The change in the first syllable was due to association with part .