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partner

/ˈpɑrtnər/
/ˈpɑtnə/
IPA guide

Other forms: partners; partnered; partnering

If you open a lemonade stand with your brother, then your brother is your business partner.

Partner means "to pair up." At a square dance, the call "partner up!" means it's time to find someone to dance with. In business, there are often multiple partners — each one owns a share of the business, and has a share of the risk. Some people call their spouse or the person they're in a long-term relationship with their partner — it has more egalitarian senses than "husband" or "wife," and signals commitment even if you're not married.

Definitions of partner
  1. noun
    a person who is a member of a partnership
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    types:
    copartner
    a joint partner (as in a business enterprise)
    silent partner, sleeping partner
    a partner (who usually provides capital) whose association with the enterprise is not public knowledge
    type of:
  2. noun
    a person's partner in marriage
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    types:
    bigamist
    someone who marries one person while already legally married to another
    consort
    the husband or wife of a reigning monarch
    helpmate, helpmeet
    a helpful partner
    hubby, husband, married man
    a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
    monogamist, monogynist
    someone who practices monogamy (one spouse at a time)
    honeymooner, newlywed
    someone recently married
    polygamist
    someone who is married to two or more people at the same time
    married woman, wife
    a married woman; a partner in marriage
    battle-ax, battle-axe
    a sharp-tongued domineering wife
    benedick, benedict
    a newly married man (especially one who has long been a bachelor)
    bride
    a woman who has recently been married
    crown princess
    the wife of a crown prince
    cuckold
    a man whose wife committed adultery
    family man
    a man whose family is of major importance in his life
    first lady
    the wife of a chief executive
    golf widow
    a wife who is left alone much of the time because her husband is playing golf
    bridegroom, groom
    a man who has recently been married
    honest woman
    a wife who has married a man with whom she has been living for some time (especially if she is pregnant at the time)
    house husband, househusband
    a husband who keeps house while his wife earns the family income
    homemaker, housewife, lady of the house, woman of the house
    a wife who manages a household while her husband earns the family income
    marchioness
    the wife or widow of a marquis
    matron
    a married woman (usually middle-aged with children) who is staid and dignified
    mayoress
    the wife of a mayor
    missis, missus
    informal term of address for someone's wife
    old lady
    your own wife
    polyandrist
    a woman with two or more husbands
    polygynist
    a man with two or more wives
    prince consort
    a prince who is the husband of a reigning female sovereign
    sheika, sheikha
    the wife of a sheik
    signora
    an Italian title of address equivalent to Mrs. when used before a name
    trophy wife
    a wife who is an attractive young woman; seldom the first wife of an affluent older man
    ux., uxor
    (legal terminology) the Latin word for wife
    uxoricide
    a husband who murders his wife
    vicereine
    wife of a viceroy
    viscountess
    a wife or widow of a viscount
    type of:
    domestic partner, significant other, spousal equivalent, spouse equivalent
    a person (not necessarily a spouse) with whom you cohabit and share a long-term sexual relationship
    relation, relative
    a person related by blood or marriage
  3. noun
    an associate in an activity or endeavor or sphere of common interest
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    types:
    bridge partner
    one of a pair of bridge players who are on the same side of the game
    dancing partner
    one of a pair of people who dance together
    raiser
    a bridge partner who increases the partner's bid
    type of:
    associate
    a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor
  4. verb
    act as a partner
    “Astaire partnered Rogers”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    act, move
    perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
  5. verb
    provide with a partner
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    type of:
    furnish, provide, render, supply
    give something useful or necessary to
Pronunciation
US
/ˈpɑrtnər/
UK
/ˈpɑtnə/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘partner'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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