WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Par"tial
Part of Speech : a.
Etymology : [F., fr. LL. partials, fr. L. pars, gen. partis, a part; cf. (for sense 1) F. partiel. See Part, n.]
Definition : 1. Of, pertaining to, or affecting, a part only; not general or universal; not total or entire; as, a partial eclipse of the moon. "Partial dissolutions of the earth." T. Burnet.

2. Inclined to favor one party in a cause, or one side of a question, more then the other; baised; not indifferent; as, a judge should not be partial. Ye have been partial in the law. Mal. ii. 9.

3. Having a predelection for; inclined to favor unreasonably; foolishly fond. "A partial parent." Pope. Not partial to an ostentatious display. Sir W. Scott.

4. (Bot.)

Defn: Pertaining to a subordinate portion; as, a compound umbel is made up of a several partial umbels; a leaflet is often supported by a partial petiole. Partial differentials, Partial differential coefficients, Partial differentiation, etc. (of a function of two or more variables), the differentials, differential coefficients, differentiation etc., of the function, upon the hypothesis that some of the variables are for the time constant. -- Partial fractions (Alg.), fractions whose sum equals a given fraction. -- Partial tones (Music), the simple tones which in combination form an ordinary tone; the overtones, or harmonics, which, blending with a fundamental tone, cause its special quality of sound, or timbre, or tone color. See, also, Tone.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913