partisan

Meaning

Noun

1. An adherent to a party or faction.
2. A fervent, sometimes militant, supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
3. A member of a band of detached light, irregular troops acting behind occupying enemy lines in the ways of harassment or sabotage; a guerrilla fighter.
4. (archaic) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy.

Adj

1. Serving as commander or member of a body of detached light troops.
2. Adherent to a party or faction; especially, having the character of blind, passionate, or unreasonable adherence to a party.
3. Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause.

Synonyms

partizan

guerilla

adherent

follower

biased

zealot

drumbeater

supporter

enthusiast

disciple

advocate

believer

followers

friends

guerrilla

insurgent

prejudiced

stickler

votary

fiend

company

party man

votarist

gang

clique

factionist

halberd

hothead

based on partiality

insurrectionist

irregular

maniac

mutineer

nut

one-sided

partial

bigot

party

🥳

politician

blind adherent

rebel

sectary

slanted

stalwart

fanatical adherent

backing

hot-gospeller

associate

accomplice

congressman

demagogue

Italian

🇮🇹/🇻🇦

concomitant

evangelist

fan

favourable

Translations

partisan

partidario

Partisan

aanhanger

pertuisane

guerrillero

partisane

Partisane

partisano

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpɑː.tɪˌzæn/

Etymology

Cognate with Serbo-Croatian: partizan

Cognate with Russian: партиза́н

In summary

From French partisan, from Italian partigiano (“defender of a party”), from parte (“part”). Doublet of partigiano. Attested in English from the late 15th century in the noun sense of "party adherent", and in related adjective senses from the 16th century. The "guerrilla fighter" sense influenced by Serbo-Croatian partizan, Russian партиза́н (partizán), from the same source.
The sense of "guerrilla fighter" is from c. 1690.
The adjective in the military sense dates from the early 18th century.