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Definition partner in British English

partner noun

[countable] noun
/ˈpɑː(r)tnə(r)/

Words that avoid giving offence partner

In British English, you can say partner to refer to a person who is the husband or wife of someone, or to refer to a person who someone is living with and having a sexual relationship with, without being married to them. This avoids mentioning the person’s status or sex. In American English, some people only use partner about unmarried people, and many others only use it about gay men or women.

1

someone who you live with and have a sexual relationship with

Example

Are partners invited to the office party?

Example

Please state your partner's name and occupation.

Example

the search for an eligible marriage partner

Synonyms and related words
2

someone who you do a particular activity with

Example

John is my tennis partner.

Synonyms and related words
2.1

someone who you dance with

Example

Take your partners for the last dance.

Synonyms and related words
3

one of two or more people who own a company and share its profits and losses. A business owned in this way is called a partnership, and is usually one that provides professional services such as giving legal and financial advice

Example

I'll need to discuss this with my business partner.

Example

His ambition was to become a partner in his father's law firm.

Example

If the matter cannot be resolved, one of the senior partners should be informed.

Synonyms and related words
4

a business, organization, or country that has an agreement or working relationship with another business etc

Example

China is one of our major trading partners.

Example

The report was jointly prepared by this institution and our partners in the US Geological Survey.

Synonyms and related words
Example

For us, that was about getting across to our partners [employees] the difference between an equal pay issue and having a gender pay gap.

Definition partner in British English