Partizan
/ˈpɑːr.tɪ.zən/noun
A supporter of a party, cause, or leader; also a type of polearm or infantry weapon.
Did you know?The political sense of *partizan* comes through French from Italian *partigiano*, and the older weapon sense is a separate borrowing from the same family of terms for a “party” or “faction,” not a mystical root but a very real history of division and allegiance.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
pars, partis
“a part, share, or portion”
Late Latin
Latin
partitio
“a dividing or sharing out”
Old French
Old French
partisan
“a supporter of a cause or faction”
16th Century
English
partisan
“a supporter of a party or cause; also a pole weapon”
Modern English
English
partizan
“a variant spelling of partisan, especially in the political sense”