A partner is someone you share work, business, or activities with, or someone you are in a close romantic relationship with. Partners usually share responsibilities, risks, and rewards.
From Middle English 'partener', from Old French 'parcionier' meaning 'sharer', from 'part' meaning 'portion' or 'share'. It originally referred to someone who shares in property or business.
At its core, 'partner' just means 'sharer'—someone who holds a piece of something with you. Whether it’s love, homework, or a company, the word insists that the thing belongs to both of you, not just one.
In many languages, earlier terms for a romantic or business partner were gendered (e.g., husband/wife, businessman/businesswoman). The rise of "partner" as a neutral term in the late 20th century is tied to feminist and LGBTQ+ movements seeking language that doesn’t assume gender or marital status.
Use "partner" when the gender of a person’s significant other is unknown, irrelevant, or when they prefer a neutral term. In business or collaboration contexts, it is already broadly inclusive.
["spouse","significant other","collaborator","colleague","co-founder"]
Women and LGBTQ+ activists played a central role in normalizing "partner" as a mainstream, respectful alternative to gendered or marital-status-focused labels.
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