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parti

Etymology and origin of the French word parti

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1200, Jean Bodel, Jeu de saint Nicolas
Ultimate origin
Latin (pars)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /paʁ.ti/[1]

Forms

parti m (plural partis)[1]

Etymology

It is the past participle, used as a noun, of the old verb partir “to share, divide”, as in “avoir maille à partir”.[2][3][4][5] “Partir” is from Latin partior (“to share, divide”), from pars (“part”).[5][6]

Compare Italian partito and Spanish partido.[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Jean Bodel's Jeu de saint Nicolas (about 1200) has parti for a money of account worth half a maille.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In the late 13th century a parti was a portion, a sense later left to the feminine partie; from about 1375 (Froissart) it meant a situation or state, as in faire un mauvais parti à qqn (1639).[2][3] Commynes (late 15th century) uses it for an advantageous offer, especially of marriage (1580), whence un bon parti “a good match” (1538); tirer parti de “to make use of” is in Montesquieu (1734).[2]

The idea of a decision gave prendre un parti (Froissart), prendre parti (late 15th century), prendre son parti “to resign oneself” (Molière, 1664) and parti pris “bias” (1798).[2][3] From 1415 a parti was a group of people united against others by their opinions, and, from 1619 a political party; the modern sense grew with parliaments and elections in the 19th century.[2][3]

Timeline

  • c. 1200 – A money of account, Jean Bodel.[2]
  • late 13th century – A portion.[2]
  • c. 1375 – A situation, prendre un parti, Froissart.[2]
  • 1415 – A faction.[2]
  • 1538 – A good match (in marriage).[2]
  • 1619 – A political party.[3]
  • 1798 – Parti pris.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A (political) party: parti politique, parti de gauche, le parti au pouvoir.[1][3]
  2. A side, camp: prendre parti pour, to side with, esprit de parti.[3][2]
  3. A course of action, decision: prendre le parti de, prendre son parti de, to resign oneself to, parti pris, bias.[2][1]
  4. Tirer parti de: to make the most of.[2][8]
  5. Un bon parti: a good match (for marriage).[2][1]
  6. Faire un mauvais parti à qqn: to treat someone roughly.[8][2]
  • partir
  • partie
  • part
  • partisan
  • Latin partior

Usage notes

The adjective parti (past participle of partir “to leave”) means familiarly “tipsy” or “asleep” (1830); in heraldry parti describes a shield divided vertically in two (Richelet, 1680).[8][9][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
Cite this entry

“Parti.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/parti. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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