- par|ti|san
- par|ti|san1 «PAHR tuh zuhn», noun, adjective.–n.1. a strong supporter of a person, party, or cause; one whose support is based on feeling rather than on reasoning: »
He was a passionate partisan of these people and had organized a Workers' Union (Edmund Wilson).
SYNONYM(S): follower, adherent, disciple.2. a member of light, irregular troops or armed civilians; guerrilla.–adj.of or like a partisan: »There are often partisan favors in politics. Leadership is either partisan or scientific. Partisan leadership takes sides (Emory S. Bogardus).
Also, partizan.╂[< Middle French partisan, adaptation of dialectal Italian partezan, variant of partigiano < parte part < Latin pars, partis part]par|ti|san2 «PAHR tuh zuhn», noun.a weapon with a broad blade like a halberd and a long shaft like a pike, carried by foot soldiers in the 1500's and on ceremonial occasions by the bodyguards of a great personage. Also, partizan.╂[< Middle French partizane < Italian partesana, or partigiana < Medieval Latin (Spain) partesana. Compare Old High German parta halberd.]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.