Partial
/ˈpɑːrʃəl/
adjectivenounB2
Definition
Partial describes something that is only a part or piece of the entire thing, not the full or complete amount. It can also mean having a special liking or favor for someone or something, showing preference. In math or science, "partial" can describe something that is not whole or complete.
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See It in Action
Not complete; only a part of something
- •The report gave a partial view of the problem.
- •The building suffered partial damage in the storm.
- •She made a partial payment on her bill.
Favoring or liking something or someone
- •He is partial to spicy food.
- •The teacher was partial toward students who worked hard.
- •She is partial to that brand of shoes.
(Noun) A part or portion of something (less common)
- •The engineer studied the partial of the system to find the problem.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "partial" like "some" or "part," but used to describe things that are not whole or complete.
- ✓Picture a puzzle with only some pieces put together — it is partial, not finished.
- ✓It's the feeling when you like chocolate ice cream more than others — you are partial to chocolate.
- ✓Sounds like "PART-shul" → imagine a part of a pie left on your plate, not the whole pie.
- ✓Remember when you only do part of your homework — you did a partial job.
- ✓NOT like "complete" (whole, all parts included); partial means only a piece or part.
- ✓NOT like "fair" (equal to all); partial can mean you favor one side or person.
- ✓NOT like "total" or "full" — partial is less than everything.
Try Other Words
- •Incomplete: not finished or whole (Use when emphasizing that something is missing parts)
- •Biased: showing favor or preference (Use when talking about unfair liking or preference)
- •Fractional: a small part or portion (Use in technical or scientific contexts)
- •Favoring: liking one thing more than others (Use when talking about preference or partiality)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "part" (a piece or portion) + suffix "-ial" (related to)
- •Etymology: From Latin "partialis," meaning "of a part," from "pars" meaning "part"
- •Historical development: Used since the 15th century in English to describe something relating to a part or portion
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe incomplete things or preferences; also used in science and math (partial derivatives, partial sums)
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be only partially true? How does that change how you understand the whole idea?
•How does being partial (showing preference) affect fairness in everyday life?
Fill in the blanks
1.The evidence was ___ because it only showed part of the story, not all details.
2.She is ___ to her younger brother and often helps him more than others.
3.The storm caused ___ damage, so only some parts of the building were broken.
4.When you pay a ___ amount, you still owe some money later.
5.Being ___ to one side can make it hard to be fair in a discussion.
6.The teacher gave a ___ grade because the student did not finish all the work.
7.In math, a ___ solution means it solves only part of the problem, not the whole thing.