part

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   something less than the whole of a human artifact

   the rear part of the house

2. 2
   noun

   a line of scalp that can be seen when sections of hair are combed in opposite directions

   Their part was right in the middle.

3. 3
   noun

   that which concerns a person with regard to a particular role or situation

   it requires vigilance on our part

4. 4
   noun

   one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole

   the written part of the exam

5. 5
   noun

   an actor's portrayal of someone in a play

   I played the part of Desdemona in a local play.

6. 6
   noun

   the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music

   I tried to sing the tenor part.

7. 7
   noun

   a portion of a natural object

   they analyzed the river into three parts

8. 8
   noun

   something determined in relation to something that includes it

   They wanted to feel a part of something bigger than themselves.

Etymology

From Middle English part, from Old English part (“part”) and Old French part (“part”); both from Latin partem, accusative of pars (“piece, portion, share, side, party, faction, role, character, lot, fate, task, lesson, part, member”), from Proto-Indo-European *par-, *per- (“to sell, exchange”). Akin to Latin portiō (“a portion, part”), parāre (“to make ready, prepare”). Displaced Middle English del, dele (“part”) (from Old English dǣl (“part, distribution”) > Modern English deal (“portion; amount”)), Middle English dale, dole (“part, portion”) (from Old English dāl (“portion”) > Modern English…