LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininethird declension

pars

pars f (genitive partis)
Classical[ˈpars]Ecclesiastical[ˈpars]
№ 65 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. femininea part, portion, piece, share
    Ultimas oppidi partes [...] petiverunt, parsque ibi, cum angusto exitu portarum se ipsi premerent, a militibus, pars iam egressa portis ab equitibus est interfectaThey rushed into the utmost parts of the town, and a part was slain by the infantry when they were crowding upon each other in the narrow passage of the gates, and the part that exited from the gates, was massacred by the cavalryc. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico VII.28
  2. femininepars ... pars ..., some ... others ...
    Īnstant ārdentēs, Tyriī: pars dūcere mūrōs, mōlīrīque arcem, et manibus subvolvere saxa;They press on with such eager haste, [these people] of Tyre: some [builders work] to extend the walls, and to construct the citadel, and to overturn stones with their hands; others [labor] to select a site for a dwelling and to mark it with a furrow.29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.423–425
  3. feminineplural normallya party, fraction, side
    Quod prope ex omnibus partibus flumine et palude circumdataBecause enclosed almost on every side by a river and a marshc. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico VII.15
    Ut si qua ex parteIn order that if on any sidec. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico VII.28
  4. femininein plurala part, character
  5. femininein plurala part, function, office, duty
  6. femininea lot, portion, fate
  7. femininea portion or share of food
  8. femininea task, lesson
  9. femininea part, place, region of the earth
  10. femininea part, fraction
  11. femininea part of a body, a member
  12. feminineplural normallya party
  13. femininea direction
    aut quam in partem auteither in which direction orc. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico I.40

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

a part
pars — in Seneca, ch. XV

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Pars · Portio

Pars (from πείρω) denotes a part, with reference to a whole; whereas portio, a part or share with reference to a possessor. Plin. H. N. xi. 15. Æstiva mellatione decimam partem apibus relinqui placet, si plenæ fuerint alvi; si minus, pro rata portione. (iv. 148.)

Partes · Factio

Partes denote the party, which is formed of itself by difference of principles and interests; whereas factio (from σφηκόω) the clique of partisans, formed by narrow differences of the members of a party with each other, and who act together with a blind party-spirit, in order necessarily and by force to give the upper hand to their own cause. Sall. Jug. 31. Inter bonos amicitia, inter malos factio est.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepars
particula		partēs
particulae
genitivepartis
particulae		partium
particulārum
dativepartī
particulae		partibus
particulīs
accusativepartem
partim, particulam		partēs
partīs, particulās
ablativeparte
partī, particulā		partibus
particulīs
vocativepars
particula		partēs
particulae

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

maior pars
the majority.
aliqua ex parte
to a certain extent.
certamen partium
party-strife.
neutram partem sequi
to be neutral.
partes agere alicuius
to play the part of some one.
extremae terrae partes
the most distant countries, the world's end.
partium studiosum esse
to be a strong partisan.
in neutris partibus esse
to be neutral.
26 more phrases
alicuius partibus studere
to embrace the cause of..., be a partisan of...
in nullam partem disputare
to say nothing either for or against an argument.
nullam partem sensus habere
to possess not the least spark of feeling.
pro viribus or pro mea parte
as well as I can; to the best of my ability.
partium studiis divisum esse
to be torn by faction.
omnes officii partes exsequi
to fulfil one's duty in every detail.
partes (usually of plebeians)
a party; faction.
quoquo versus; in omnes partes
in all directions.
orbis, pars (terrae), cingulus
a zone.
nullam officii partem deserere
to fulfil one's duty in every detail.
partes generibus subiectae sunt
the species is subordinate the genus.
in contrarium; in contrarias partes
in an opposite direction.
pro virili parte (cf. sect. V. 22.)
as well as I can; to the best of my ability.
partium studium, also simply studia
party-spirit.
contentio partium (Phil. 5. 12. 32)
party-strife.
in bonam (malam) partem accipere aliquid
to take a thing in good (bad) part.
nullius or neutrius (of two) partis esse
to be neutral.
in omnes partes aciem (oculorum) intendere
to gaze intently all around.
in duas partes discedere (Sall. Iug. 13. 1)
to divide into two factions.
omni ex parte; in omni genere; omnibus rebus
from every point of view; looked at in every light.
actor primarum (secundarum, tertiarum) partium
the actor who plays the leading part.
alicuius partes (causam) or simply aliquem sequi
to embrace the cause of..., be a partisan of...

pars, partis (
I. gen. sing. PARTVS, Inscr. Corp. Lat. 197, 12; acc. partim, Cic. de Or. 2, 22, 94; Liv. 26, 46, 8; 31, 36, 9; 23, 11, 11; Sall. J. 89, 1; id. H. 2, 41, 1; v. infra fin.; abl. parti, Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 14; Varr. R. R. 1, 13, 5; Lucr. 1, 1113; 4, 515; nom. plur. parteis, Varr. L. L. 5, 4, 21; gen. plur. partum, Caes. ap. Charis. p. 114 P.), f. root por; Gr. ἔπορον, gave; πέπρωται, is given, destined; Lat. portio; cf. parare, a part, piece, portion, share, etc.
I. In gen.: ne expers partis esset de nostris bonis, Ter. Heaut. 4, 1, 39: urbis, imperil, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 32, § 84: duae partes frumenti, id. ib. 2, 3, 19, § 48: magnas partes habuit publicorum, id. Rab. Post. 2, 4: dare partes amicis, id. ib.: Belgae pertinent ad inferiorem partem fluminis Rheni, Caes. B. G. 1, 1: copias in quattuor partes distribuerat, Sall. J. 101, 3: locare agrum partibus, Plin. Ep. 9, 37, 3: pars occidentalis Jordanis, the west side, Vulg. Jos. 23, 4.—
2. Magna, bona, multa, major, maxima pars, many, a good many, the majority: magna pars in iis civitatibus, Cic. Balb. 8, 21: major pars populi, id. Agr. 2, 9, 22: maxima pars hominum, Hor. S. 2, 3, 121; cf.: minor pars populi, Cic. Agr. 2, 7, 18: multa pars mei, Hor. C. 3, 30, 6.—
3. Pars, some, partitively (= partim): faciunt pars hominum, Plaut. Trin. 1, 1, 13; id. Most. 1, 2, 33; id. Capt. 2, 1, 36: pars levem ducere equitum jacturam; pars, etc., Liv. 22, 8; cf. id. 21, 7; 23; 20: pars triumphos suos ostentantes, Sall. J. 31, 10: poscebantque pericula, pars virtute, multi ferocia et cupidine praemiorum, Tac. H. 5, 11: tergora deripiunt costis et viscera nudant: Pars in frusta secant, Verg. A. 1, 212.—Rarely of a single person: cum pars Niliacae plebis, cum verna Canopi, Crispinus ventilet, etc., Juv. 1, 26.—
4. Parte, in part, partly: (poma) quae candida parte, Parte rubent, Ov. M. 3, 483: melichloros est geminus, parte flavus, parte melleus, Plin. 37, 11, 73, § 191.—Esp., with magnā, maximā, etc.: ab semisomnis ac maximā parte inermibus refringi, Liv. 9, 24, 12 Weissenb. ad loc.: invalido exercitu et magnā parte pestilentiā absumpto, id. 24, 34, 14: quod saxum magnā parte ita proclive est, id. ib.; 41, 6, 6.—
5. Pro parte, for one's share or quota, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 59, § 145.—
6. Ex parte, in part, partly: ex parte gaudeo, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 3, § 9: de decem viris sacrorum ex parte de plebe creandis, Liv. 6, 42, 2.—Esp.,
b. Ex ullā, ex aliquā, ex magnā, ex maximā parte, in any, etc., degree, measure, etc.: si ullā ex parte sententia hujus interdicti infirmata sit, Cic. Caecin. 13, 38; id. Rosc. Com. 12, 33: ex magnā parte tibi assentior, id. Att. 7, 3, 3: aut omnino, aut magnā ex parte, id. Tusc. 1, 1, 1: saucii ex magnā parte milites, Liv. 21, 56, 8: ne minimā quidem ex parte, not in the slightest degree, Cic. Off. 1, 22, 76.—
7. Multis partibus, by a great deal, much: omnibus partibus, in all respects, altogether: non multis partibus malit, Cic. Fin. 3, 11, 36: quoniam numero multis partibus esset inferior, Caes. B. C. 3, 84; 3, 80: in Hortensii sententiam multis partibus plures ituros, Cic. Fam. 1, 2, 2; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 9, 3: omnium virorum bonorum vitam omnibus partibus plus habere semper boni quam mali, in all respects, every way, Cic. Fin. 5, 31, 91.—
8. In parte, in part, partly (cf. ex parte, supra): in parte expeditior, in parte difficilior, Quint. 5, 7, 22; 11, 2, 34: in parte verum videtur, id. 2, 8, 6; 4, 5, 13; 10, 7, 25.—
9. Pro meā, tuā, suā parte, or simply pro parte (for the stronger pro virili parte, v. virilis, II. 2.), for my, your, or his share, to the best of my, your, his, etc., ability: quibus aliquid opis fortasse ego pro meā, tu pro tuā, pro suā quisque parte ferre potuisset, Cic. Fam. 15, 15, 3: pro meā parte adjuvi, ut, etc., id. ib. 5, 2, 9: sciunt ii, qui me norunt, me pro illā tenui infirmāque parte id maxime defendisse, ut, etc., id. Rosc. Am. 47, 136: quisquis adest operi, plus quam pro parte laborat, Ov. F. 4, 301.—Likewise,
10. In partem, i. q. pro parte, ἐν μέρει, for one's share, to the best of one's ability: quodsi pudica mulier in partem juvet Domum (i. e. quae ad eam proprie pertinet), Hor. Epod. 2, 39 (for which: age sis tuam partem nunc iam hunc delude, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 89 Fleck., where others read tu in partem).—
11. Acc. absol.: magnam, maximam partem, in great part, for the most part: magnam partem ex iambis nostra constat oratio, Cic. Or. 56, 189; Liv. 5, 14: maximam partem ad arma trepidantes caedes oppressit, id. 9, 37, 9: maximam partem lacte atque pecore vivunt, Caes. B. G. 4, 1.—So, bonam partem, Lucr. 6, 1249.—
12. In eam partem.
a. On that side: in eam partem accipio, i. e. in that sense, Ter. Eun. 5, 2, 37: in eam partem peccant, quae cautior est, Cic. Rosc. Am. 20, 56.—
b. On that account, with that intent, to the end that: moveor his rebus omnibus, sed in eam partem, ut salvi sint vobiscum omnes, Cic. Cat. 4, 2, 3: has litteras scripsi in eam partem, ne me motum putares, id. Att. 16, 1, 6.—
13. In aliam partem, in the opposite direction: antehac est habitus parcus ... is nunc in aliam partem palmam possidet, for the opposite quality Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 32.—
14. In utramque partem, on both sides, for and against, pro and con: nullam in partem, on neither side: in mitiorem, in optimam partem, in the most mild or most favorable manner, Cic. Att. 15, 23 init.: magna vis est fortunae in utramque partem, vel secundas ad res, vel adversas, id. Off. 2, 6, 19: neutram in partem, id. ib.: neque ego ullam in partem disputo, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 3, § 6: mitiorem in partem interpretari, id. Mur. 31, 64: in optimam partem aliquid accipere, id. Att. 10, 3, 2; id. Fam. 14, 2, 3: in partem aliquem vocare, to call upon one to take his share, to summon to a division of any thing, id. Caecin. 4, 12.—
15. Nullā parte, by no means, not at all, Ov. H. 7, 110; Quint. 2, 16, 18.—
b. Omni parte, and omni a and ex parte, in every respect, entirely: gens omni parte pacata, Liv. 41, 34; Hor. S. 1, 2, 38: quod sit omni ex parte ... perfectum, Cic. Lael. 21, 79: omnique a parte placebam, Ov. H. 15, 45.—
16. Per partes, partly, partially: quod etsi per partes nonnumquam damnosum est, in summā tamen fit compendiosum, Col. 1, 4, 5: per partes emendare aliquid, Plin. Ep. 2, 5, 10; Dig. 12, 1, 13.—
17. In omnes partes, in every respect, altogether: Brundusii jacere in omnes partes est molestum, Cic. Att. 11, 6, 2; id. Fam. 4, 10, 2; 13, 1, 2.
II. In partic.
A. A party, faction, side, etc. (usu. in plur.; syn. factio).
(a). Sing.: timeo huic nostrae parti, quid hic respondeat, Ter. And. 2, 5, 8: cum non liceret mihi nullius partis esse, Cic. Fam. 10, 31, 1: a parte heredum intraverant duo, Plin. Ep. 6, 31, 10: nec ex advocatis partis adversae judex eligendus, of the opposite party, Quint. 5, 6, 6; 7, 9, 14; 12, 9, 19 et saep.: ut alius in aliam partem mente atque animo traheretur, Caes. B. C. 1, 21.—Hence, esp.: ex alterā parte, on the other hand: omnia ex alterā parte collocata, Cic. Off. 3, 3, 11: si videatis catenas, non minus profecto vos ea species moveat, quam si ex alterā parte cernatis, etc., Liv. 22, 59, 15: idem ex alterā parte et ancilla fecit, Petr. 18 fin.: parvuli amplexi patrem tenebant. Ex alterā parte uxor maritum osculis fatigabat, Just. 23, 2, 9; cf. Cic. Or. 32, 114.—
(b). Plur. (class.; esp. freq. in Tac.), Cic. Phil. 13, 20, 47: erat, inquit, illarum partium, id. Quint. 21, 69: in duas partes discedunt Numidae, Sall. J. 13, 1: ita omnia in duas partes abstracta sunt, id. ib. 41, 5: mihi a spe, metu, partibus rei publicae animus liber erat, id. C. 4, 2: ducere aliquem in partes, Tac. A. 15, 51: trahere, id. ib. 4, 60: transire in partes, id. H. 1, 70. —
B. In plur., a part, character, on the stage: primas partes qui aget, is erit Phormio, the first part, the principal character, Ter. Phorm. prol. 27: cur partes seni Poëta dederit, quae sunt adulescentium, a youthful part, id. Heaut. prol. 1; 10: esse primarum, secundarum, aut tertiarum partium, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 15, 51: servus primarum partium, id. Fl. 27, 65.—
2. Transf. beyond the lang. of the theatre, a part, function, office, duty, etc.—In plur. (class.): sine illum priores partes hosce aliquot dies Apud me habere, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 71: in scribendo priores partes alicui tribuere, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 4, 4: puero me hic sermo inducitur, ut nullae esse possent partes meae, so that I could not take a part in it, id. Att. 13, 19, 4: constantiae, moderationis, temperantiae, verecundiae partes, id. Off. 1, 28, 98: has partes lenitatis et misericordiae, quas me natura ipsa docuit semper egi libenter, id. Mur. 3, 6: partes accusatoris obtinere, id. Quint. 2, 8; id. Rosc. Am. 34, 95: tuum est hoc munus, tuae partes, etc., id. Fam. 11, 5, 3: promitto atque confirmo, me ... imperatoris suscepturum officia atque partes, id. ib. 3, 10, 8: Antonii audio esse partes, ut de totā eloquentiā disserat, id. de Or. 2, 7, 26: transactis jam meis partibus ad Antonium audiendum venistis, id. ib. 2, 4, 15; id. Att. 7, 26, 2: ut ad partes paratus veniat, qs. prepared to act his part, Varr. R. R. 2, 5; so, ad partes parati, Ov. Am. 1, 8, 87; cf. Liv. 3, 10; Gai. Inst. 4, 160; Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 14, 3, 2.—In sing. (mostly post-Aug.): haec igitur tibi reliqua pars est, ... ut rem publicam constituas, etc., Cic. Marc. 9, 27: pars consilii pacisque, Tac. H. 3, 46: videri alia quoque hujus partis atque officii, Quint. 11, 3, 174: pars defensoris tota est posita in refutatione, id. 5, 13, 1: neglegentiae, humilitatis, id. 9, 4, 35 et saep. (v. Bonnell, Lex. Quint. p. 627).—
C. A lot, portion, fate: hancine ego partem capio ob pietatem praecipuam? Plaut. Rud. 1, 3, 4.—
D. A portion, share, of food, Petr. 33: equiti Romano avidius vescenti partes suas misit, Suet. Calig. 18.—Also, the remains of a meal, App. M. 2, p. 125 med. —
E. A task, lesson: puer frugi est, decem partes dicit, Petr. 75, 4; 46, 3; 58, 7; Inscr. Grut. 625, 8; Inscr. Orell. 2872.—
F. A part, place, region, of the earth.—In plur., Cic. Fam. 12, 7, 2: Orientis partes, id. Mur. 41, 89: in extremis ignoti partibus orbis, Ov. Tr. 3, 3, 3; cf. Ruhnk. on Ov. H. 18, 197.—
G. In counting or calculating, a part, fraction; one half, one third, etc., as the context indicates: tres jam copiarum partes, fourths, Caes. B. G. 1, 12: agri partes duae, thirds, Liv. 8, 1: duabus partibus peditum amissis, id. 21, 40: mulctae novem partes, tenths, Nep. Timol. 4.—
H. A part of the body, member: nam lingua mali pars pessima servi, Juv. 9, 121.—Esp., the private parts, Ov. F. 1, 437; id. A. A. 2, 584; Auct. Priap. 30; 38; Phaedr. 4, 7.—Of a testicle, Col. 7, 11.—Hence, adv.: partim (old acc. sing.), partly, in part, a part, some of, some.
A. Lit.
(a). With gen.: cum partim illorum saepe ad eundem morem erat, Cato ap. Gell. 10, 13, 2: atque haud scio an partim eorum fuerint, qui, etc., id. ib. 7, 3, 16: utrum neglegentia partim magistratuum, an, etc., nescio, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 10, 13, 4: Bruttios Apulosque, partim Samnitium ac Lucanorum defecisse ad Poenos, Liv. 23, 11.—So, repeated: corpora partim Multa virum terrae infodiunt avectaque partim Finitimos tollunt in agros, Verg. A. 11, 204: partim ... partim: cum partim ejus praedae profundae libidines devorassent, partim nova quaedam et inaudita luxuries, partim etiam, etc., Cic. Pis. 21, 48: eorum autem ipsorum partim ejus modi sunt, ut, etc., id. Off. 2, 21, 9; 72; id. de Or. 2, 22, 94; 1, 31, 141: partim copiarum ad tumulum expugnandum mittit, partim ipse ad arcem ducit, Liv. 26, 46: eorum autem, quae objecta sunt mihi, partim ea sunt, etc., id. 42, 41, 2; Nep. Att. 7, 2.—
(b). With ex: ex quibus partim tecum fuerunt, partim, etc., Cic. Vatin. 7, 16: partim ex illis distracti ac dissipati jacent, id. Leg. 2, 17, 42: cum partim e nobis ita timidi sint, ut, etc.,... partim, etc., id. Phil. 8, 11, 32: ex dubiis partim nobis ipsis ad electionem sunt libera, partim aliorum sententiae commissa, Quint. 3, 4, 8.—
(g). Absol. (so most freq.): animus partim uxoris misericordiā Devinctus, partim victus hujus injuriis, partly,... partly; in part,... in part, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 92 sq.: partim quae perspexi his oculis, partim quae accepi auribus, id. ib. 3, 3, 3: amici partim deseruerint me, partim etiam prodiderint, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 5: diuturni silentii ... non timore aliquo, sed partim dolore, partim verecundiā, finem hodiernus dies attulit, id. Marc. 1, 1; Quint. 7, 1, 3: partim quod ... partim quod, etc., Caes. B. G. 5, 6, 3: partim ductu, partim auspiciis suis, Suet. Aug. 21: partim cupiditate ... partim ambitione ... partim etiam inscientiā, Quint. 12, 11, 14: Scipio dux partim factis fortibus partim suāpte fortunā quādam ingentis ad incrementa gloriae celebratus converterat animos, Liv. 29, 26, 5: postea renuntiavit foro partim pudore, partim metu, Suet. Rhet. 6.—Sometimes partim is placed only in the second member of a partitive proposition: Caesar a nobilissimis civibus, partim etiam a se omnibus rebus ornatis, trucidatus, Cic. Div. 2, 9, 23; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 65, § 158.—Sometimes it corresponds to alius, quidam, etc.: bestiarum terrenae sunt aliae, partim aquatiles, aliae quasi ancipites, Cic. N. D. 1, 37, 103: multa inusitata partim e caelo, alia ex terrā oriebantur, quaedam etiam, etc., id. Div. 1, 42, 93: quibusdam placuisse mirabilia quaedam, partim fugiendas esse nimias amicitias, Cic. Am. 13, 45: castra hostium invadunt, semisomnos partim, alios arma sumentes fugant, Sall. J. 21, 2: Gaetulos accepimus, partim in tuguriis, alios incultius vagos agitare, etc., id. ib. 19, 5; 38, 3; 40, 2; cf. id. ib. 13, 2; Gell. 2, 22, 1.—
B. Transf.
1. For the most part, chiefly, principally (ante-class.): mirum quin tibi ego crederem, ut ipse idem mihi faceres, quod partim faciunt argentarii, Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 28: bubulcis obsequitor, partim quo libentius boves curent, Cato, R. R. 5, 6; 6, 3. —
2. Of time, sometimes (late Lat.), Scrib. Comp. Med. 53.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *partis > parts > pars. Probably from the same root as pār and portiō. This could be the Proto-Indo-European root *perh₂- (“sell, exchange”), which also gave the Ancient Greek πόρνη (pórnē, “prostitute”), and πέρνημι (pérnēmi, “sell”). Others refer to (the perhaps identical) Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to pass through”), whence Latin porta, portus, parō, pariō, perīculum, experior, Ancient Greek πέρα (péra), πείρω (peírō), πόρος (póros), Proto-Germanic *faraną (“to go, to travel”) and *fērō (“danger”), whence English fare and fear, German fahren and Gefahr. While keeping the separate root Proto-Indo-European *sperH-, that could also explain Latin parcus, parcō, Ancient Greek σπαρνός (sparnós), English spare. According to Michiel De Vaan's Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (2008), probably from the same root as pariō.

Descendants
  • Catalanpart
  • Frenchpartfrom Old French part
  • Englishpartfrom Old French part
  • Englishparsefrom Old French part
  • Italianparte
  • Occitanpart
  • Portugueseparte
  • Romanianparte
  • Sardinianparti
  • Sardinianparte

Quick answers

What does pars mean in Latin?
pars, a noun, means “a part, portion, piece, share; pars ... pars ..., some ... others ...; a party, fraction, side”.
What is the genitive of pars?
The genitive singular is partis. pars is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce pars?
In classical Latin, [ˈpars]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈpars].