Meanings
partner1
nounpartner (plural partners)
plural partners
- Either of a pair of people or things that belong together.
- Someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest.
sex partner
4 more examples
business partner
dance partner
doubles partner
speaking partner
- A member of a business or law partnership.
He Suſpends on theſe Reaſons, that Thomas Rue had granted a general Diſcharge to Adam Muſhet, who was his Conjunct, and correus debendi, after the alleadged Service, which Diſcharged Muſhet, and conſequently Houstoun his Partner.
1668 July 3, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 548 - A spouse or other person with whom one shares a domestic, romantic, or sexual bond.
New guidance on how to prosecute abusive partners for controlling and coercive behaviour has highlighted the phenomenon of love-bombing, a tactic used by suspects to confuse victims and gain more control.
2023 April 23, Amelia Gentleman, “CPS includes ‘love-bombing’ in guidance on abusive partners prosecution”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 24 Dec 2025 - Someone with whom one dances in a two-person dance.
He tried to persuade Cicely to stay away from the ball-room for a fourth dance.[…]But she said she must go back, and when they joined the crowd again her partner was haled off with a frightened look to the royal circle, […].
1909 September 9, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter I, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC
- nauticalOne of the pieces of wood comprising the framework which strengthens the deck of a wooden ship around the holes through which the mast and other fittings pass.
- JamaicaA group financial arrangement in which each member contributes a set amount of money over a set period.
verbpartner (third-person singular simple present partners, present participle partnering, simple past and past participle partnered)
present singular third person partners · participle present partnering · participle past partnered · past partnered
- transitiveTo join as a partner.
- intransitiveoftenTo work or perform as a partner.
Tesco has partnered with Direct Rail Services (DRS) to launch a new refrigerated rail freight service from Tilbury to Coatbridge.
2022 January 12, “Network News: New freight trips for Tesco and DRS”, in RAIL, number 948, page 121 more example
“In the current period, when people are embedded in social and informational bubbles with like-minded friends and relatives,” he says, “the idea of partnering with someone from a different bubble is understandably daunting. At a minimum it’s awkward and complicated.”
2020 October 6, Belinda Luscombe, “Would You Date Someone With Different Political Beliefs? Here's What a Survey of 5,000 Single People Revealed”, in Time, archived from the original on 06 Oct 2020
Partner2
proper noun
- A surname.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna person's partner in marriage
Similar
Broader
nounan associate in an activity or endeavor or sphere of common interest
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinpartītiōnem
- Old Frenchparçonier
- Middle Englishpartener
- Englishpartner
From Middle English partener, partiner, alteration (due to Middle English part) of Middle English parcener, from Old French parçonier, parçonneour (“joint heir”) from parçon (“partition”), from Latin partītiōnem, singular accusative of partītiō (“portion”). The word may also represent Old French part tenour (“part holder”). Compare also Middle English partifere (“partner”), partifelewe (“partner”). Doublet of parcener.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek μέτοχος, κοινωνός
- μέτοχος (métokhos)a member of a business or law partnership
- κοινωνός (koinōnós)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Arabic حَبِيب, حَبِيبَة
- حَبِيب (ḥabīb)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- حَبِيبَة (ḥabība)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- شَرِيك (šarīk)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- شَرِيكَة (šarīka)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- رَفِيق (rafīq)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- رَفِيقَة (rafīqa)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Bengali সঙ্গী
- সঙ্গী (śoṅgi)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Bulgarian партньо́р, партньо́рка
- партньо́р (partnjór)a member of a business or law partnership
- партньо́рка (partnjórka)a member of a business or law partnership
- партньо́р (partnjór)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- партньо́рка (partnjórka)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- съпру́г (săprúg)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- съпру́га (săprúga)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- полови́нка (polovínka)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- партньо́р (partnjór)either member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- партньо́рка (partnjórka)either member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- партньо́р (partnjór)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- партньо́рка (partnjórka)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- съдру́жник (sădrúžnik)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- сдружавам се (sdružavam se)To join as a partner
- партнирам (partniram)To work or perform as partner
Catalan soci, parella
- socia member of a business or law partnership
- parellaspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- companyspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- companyaspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
Chinese Mandarin 伙伴, 伴侶 /伴侣
- 伙伴 (huǒbàn)a member of a business or law partnership
- 伴侶 /伴侣 (bànlǚ)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- 伙伴 (huǒbàn)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- 搭檔 /搭档 (dādàng, dādǎng)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Czech partner, partnerka
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerkasomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Danish partner, kompagnon
- partnera member of a business or law partnership
- kompagnona member of a business or law partnership
- partnerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partnereither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- medspillereither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerdancing partner
- kavalerdancing partner
- samarbejdeTo work or perform as partner
Dutch partner, partner
- partnera member of a business or law partnership
- partnerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- medespelereither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Esperanto koramiko, koramikino
- koramikospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- koramikinospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- kunvivantospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- kunvivantinospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- kunulospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partnerosomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- kundancantinodancing partner
Estonian partner
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Finnish kumppani, yhtiömies
- kumppania member of a business or law partnership
- yhtiömiesa member of a business or law partnership
- partnerispouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- puolisospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- kumppanispouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- avomiesspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- avovaimospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- avopuolisospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- parieither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partnerisomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- kumppanisomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- yhteistyökumppanisomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
French partenaire, compagnon
- partenairespouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- compagnonspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- compagnespouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- conjointspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- conjointespouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partenairesomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- associésomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
German Gesellschafter, Gesellschafterin
- Gesellschaftera member of a business or law partnership
- Gesellschafterina member of a business or law partnership
- Partnerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- Partnerinspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- Lebensgefährtespouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- Lebensgefährtinspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- Partnereither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- Partnerineither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- Partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- Partnerinsomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- Partnerdancing partner
- Partnerindancing partner
Greek συνέταιρος, σύντροφος
- συνέταιρος (synétairos)a member of a business or law partnership
- σύντροφος (sýntrofos)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- συμπαίκτης (sympaíktis)either member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- συμπαίκτρια (sympaíktria)either member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- σύντροφος (sýntrofos)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- παρτενέρ (partenér)dancing partner
Hebrew בֶּן זוּג, בֶּן זוּג \ בת זוג
- בֶּן זוּג (ben zúg)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- בֶּן זוּג \ בת זוג (bat zúg)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- שֻׁתָּף \ שותף (shutáf)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Hindi साथी, पार्टनर
- साथी (sāthī)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- पार्टनर (pārṭanar)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Hungarian partner, társ
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- társsomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Indonesian mitra, partner
- mitraa member of a business or law partnership
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- mitrasomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Irish páirtnéir
- páirtnéirspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
Italian associato, compagno
- associatoa member of a business or law partnership
- compagnospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- compagnaspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- conviventespouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- sociosomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- socio di affarisomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Japanese 伴侶, 恋人
- 伴侶 (hanryo)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- 恋人 (koibito)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- パートナー (pātonā)either member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- パートナー (pātonā)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- 相棒 (aibō)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- 伴侶 (hanryo)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- 仲間 (nakama)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Korean 애인, 반려자
- 애인 (aein)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- 반려자 (ballyeoja)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- 파트너 (pateuneo)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- 동반자 (dongbanja)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- 동료 (dongnyo)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Latin consors, particeps
- consorssomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- particepssomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Latvian partneris, partnere
- partnerissomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partneresomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Lithuanian partneris, partnerė
- partnerissomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerėsomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Malay rakan kongsi, pasangan
- rakan kongsia member of a business or law partnership
- pasanganspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- regueither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- rakan kongsisomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Māori hoa pakihi, hoa hinonga
- hoa pakihia member of a business or law partnership
- hoa hinongaa member of a business or law partnership
- hoa mārenaspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- hoa mārenasomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- hoa patuisomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- hoa kanikanidancing partner
Norwegian Bokmål partner, partner
- partnera member of a business or law partnership
- partnerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- samboerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partnereither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerdancing partner
Polish partner, partnerka
- partnera member of a business or law partnership
- partnerkaa member of a business or law partnership
- partnerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partnerkaspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partnereither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partnerkaeither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerkasomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerdancing partner
- partnerkadancing partner
- partnerowaćTo join as a partner
- partnerowaćTo work or perform as partner
Portuguese parceiro, sócio
- parceiroa member of a business or law partnership
- sócioa member of a business or law partnership
- parceirospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- parceiraspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- parceiroeither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- parceiraeither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- parceirosomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- parceirasomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- parceirodancing partner
- parceiradancing partner
- associar-seTo join as a partner
Romanian partener, partener
- partenera member of a business or law partnership
- partenerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partenerăspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partenereither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partenerăeither member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- partenersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partenerăsomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partenerdancing partner
- partenerădancing partner
Russian партнёр, партнёрша
- партнёр (partnjór)a member of a business or law partnership
- партнёрша (partnjórša)a member of a business or law partnership
- това́рищ (továrišč)a member of a business or law partnership
- компаньо́н (kompanʹón)a member of a business or law partnership
- компаньо́нка (kompanʹónka)a member of a business or law partnership
- супру́г (suprúg)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- супру́га (suprúga)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- партнёр (partnjór)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- партнёрша (partnjórša)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- партнёр (partnjór)either member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- партнёрша (partnjórša)either member of a pair in a card game or sports team (1.4)
- партнёр (partnjór)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Slovak partner, partnerka
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerkasomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Spanish socio, pareja
- socioa member of a business or law partnership
- parejaspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- compañerospouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- compañeraspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- compañerosomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partenairesomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- parcerosomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- sociosomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- copartícipesomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- compañónsomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partner (pártner) (DPD)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- cherosomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Swedish kompanjon, partner
- kompanjona member of a business or law partnership
- partnera member of a business or law partnership
- partnerspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- äkta hälftspouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- partnersomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- partnerdancing partner
- samarbetaTo work or perform as partner
Thai คู่, หุ้นส่วน
- คู่ (kûu)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- หุ้นส่วน (hûn-sùuan)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- ภาคี (paa-kii)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- ภาคินี (paa-kí-nii)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Turkish ortak, şerik
- ortaksomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- şeriksomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Ukrainian партне́р, партне́рка
- партне́р (partnér)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- партне́рка (partnérka)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- супру́г (suprúh)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- супру́га (suprúha)spouse, domestic, or romantic partner
- партне́р (partnér)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- партне́рка (partnérka)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- компаньйо́н (kompanʹjón)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- компаньйо́нка (kompanʹjónka)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Urdu ساتھی, شَرِیک
- ساتھی (sāthī)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- شَرِیک (śarīk)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- رَفِیق (rafīq)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- آڑی (āṛī)someone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Vietnamese đối tác, đồng liêu
- đối táca member of a business or law partnership
- đồng liêusomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
- đồng nghiệpsomeone who is associated with another in a common activity or interest
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
partner. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/partner
MLA
“partner.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/partner. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “partner,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/partner.
Source: partner on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.