# partial

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈpɑɹʃəl/ · frequency rank #5,442

## Definitions
1. Existing as a part or portion; incomplete.
2. Describing a property that holds only when an algorithm terminates.
3. Biased in favor of a person, side, or point of view, especially when dealing with a competition or dispute.
4. Having a predilection for something.
5. Of or relating to a partial derivative or partial differential.
6. Subordinate.
7. Having a wordplay element, but no definition.

## Etymology
From Middle English partiall, parcial, from Old French parcial (“biased or particular”), from Late Latin partiālis (“of or pertaining to a part”), from Latin pars (“part”).

## Easily confused with
- **Patil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-patil)
- **portal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-portal)
- **Portia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-portia)
- **parties** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-parties)
- **parting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-parting)
- **particle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-particle)
- **partisan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-partisan)
- **partially** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/partial-vs-partially)
- **parti** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parti-vs-partial)
- **pariah** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pariah-vs-partial)
- **palatial** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palatial-vs-partial)

## Common misspellings (10)
`aprtial`, `parital`, `parrtial`, `partail`, `partiall`, `partila`, `parttial`, `patrial`, `ppartial`, `pratial`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/partial