The meaning of PARTIAL is of or relating to a part rather than the whole : not general or total. How to use partial in a sentence.

PARTIAL meaning: 1 : not complete or total; 2 : tending to treat one person, group, or thing better than another

partial adjective (UNFAIR) influenced by the fact that you personally prefer or approve of something, so that you do not judge fairly:

Of, relating to, being, or affecting only a part; not total; incomplete: The plan calls for partial deployment of missiles. The police have only a partial description of the suspect.

Dec 14, 2025 · partial (plural partials) (mathematics) A partial derivative: a derivative with respect to one independent variable of a function in multiple variables while holding the other variables …

You use partial to refer to something that is true or exists to some extent, but is not complete or total.

partial, adj. & n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Definition of partial adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

If you describe something as partial, you're usually saying it's just part of the whole, or incomplete. Say someone asks how you started your band and you say, "I bought a guitar." That would be …

The word "partial" comes from the Latin word "partialis," which means "relating to a part." This reflects how the word is used to describe things that are not whole or complete.