PoliticsAugust 16, 2026

partisanship

PAR-tuh-zun-ship

Definition

The act of supporting one political party or cause exclusively, often to the point of blind loyalty or bias.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Italian 'partigiano' (member of a party), which traces back to the Latin 'pars' (part or faction). It entered English in the 18th century to describe strong adherence to a particular faction or political group.

In the news

Governor Beshear frames the debate over Senator McConnell's health as a matter of public accountability rather than partisanship to emphasize that voters' right to information transcends party politics.

Andy Beshear Says Mitch McConnell Owes Kentuckians an Update

Read the full article ↗

Newsweek

Related words

anthropologist

A social scientist who studies the origins, development, beliefs, social customs, and…

Politics

captcha

A program or system intended to distinguish human users from automated bots by requiring…

Politics

chieftain

A leader or influential high-ranking member of a political group or organization.

Politics

collation

The systematic process of collecting, comparing, and organizing results from various…

Politics

constituents

The people who are represented by an elected official and to whom that official is…

Politics

defund

To withdraw or withhold financial support or funding from an organization, program, or…

Politics

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.