What does "partial" mean?
A partial derivative: a derivative with respect to one independent variable of a function in multiple variables while holding the other variables constant.
Partial
/ˈpɑɹʃəl/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A partial derivative: a derivative with respect to one independent variable of a function in multiple variables while holding the other variables constant.
- Grammar: partial is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: adulterated, af, antiblack, arrested.
- Useful contrasts: absolute, absolute certainty, absolute displacement magnitude.
- Usage evidence: My wife is partial to apple pie.
How to use "partial"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "partial" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "partial" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "partial" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "partial" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "partial" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adulterated" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "partial", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A partial derivative: a derivative with respect to one independent variable of a function in multiple variables while holding the other variables constant.
- 2 a harmonic with a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency wordnet
- 3 Any of the sine waves which make up a complex tone; often an overtone or harmonic of the fundamental.
- 4 the derivative of a function of two or more variables with respect to a single variable while the other variables are considered to be constant wordnet
- 5 dentures that replace only some of the natural teeth
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 An incomplete fingerprint
- 7 A fragment of a template containing markup. Internet
"In fact, as seen in Chapters 5 and 6, the resulting document is usually the product of rendering a layout, which yields the rendering of the template at hand, which in turn can invoke the rendering of other templates and/or one or more partials."
- 8 The condition of not exhausting the amplitude during the repetition of an exercise.
"Research tells us that eccentrics, heavy partials, and static exercise may require several days or weeks of recovery time."
- 9 A fursuit that does not fully cover the wearer's body. slang
Verb
- 1 To take the partial regression coefficient. transitive
Adjective
- 1 Existing as a part or portion; incomplete.
"So far, I have only pieced together a partial account of the incident."
- 2 Describing a property that holds only when an algorithm terminates.
"It's easy to prove partial correctness, but it's not obvious that it is also totally correct."
- 3 Biased in favor of a person, side, or point of view, especially when dealing with a competition or dispute.
"The referee is blatantly partial!"
- 4 Having a predilection for something.
"not partial to an ostentatious display"
- 5 Of or relating to a partial derivative or partial differential.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Subordinate.
- 7 Having a wordplay element, but no definition.
"Twelve six- letter lights form a group; these have only partial clues."
Adjective
- 1 constituting or comprising a part or fraction of a possible whole or entirety wordnet
- 2 being or affecting only a part; not total wordnet
- 3 (followed by ‘of’ or ‘to’) having a strong preference or liking for wordnet
- 4 showing favoritism wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"My wife is partial to apple pie."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "partial"?
Common synonyms include: adulterated, af, antiblack, arrested, aslant, atilt.
How do you use "partial" in a sentence?
My wife is partial to apple pie.
How do you pronounce "partial"?
Pronounced /ˈpɑɹʃəl/.
Etymology
From Middle English partiall, parcial, from Old French parcial (“biased or particular”), from Late Latin partiālis (“of or pertaining to a part”), from Latin pars (“part”).