PartI

Parti is a term with several related meanings across Romance languages and heraldry. In French, parti denotes a party or faction, such as a political party (un parti politique) or a side in a dispute (prendre parti). In Italian, parti is the plural of parte and means parts or sides; in political or legal contexts it can refer to the parties involved in a negotiation or case. In English, parti appears mainly in historical or specialist contexts, notably in heraldry where it describes a shield divided into two or more colours or patterns, and in loaned phrases from French such as parti-coloured or parti-coloured coats of arms.

Etymology: French parti derives from Old French parti, from partir “to divide,” linked to the notion of division or side. Italian parti comes from Latin pars, part-, via parte, reflecting the same concept of parts or sides. In heraldry, the term has a technical use, indicating a field split by a line and filled with different colours or tinctures; blazonry often uses parti- to signal such divisions (for example, parti per fess or parti-coloured).

Usage and examples: In politics, French party names such as Parti Socialiste or Parti Radical have played central roles in national histories. The verb prendre parti expresses taking a side in a conflict or debate. In Italian legal or civic language, phrases such as parti in causa refer to the parties involved in a case. In heraldry, a shield described as parti or parti-coloured is divided and displayed with distinct colours on each side.

See also: party, part, partisan, partition.