bipartisan
adjective
-sən
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Bipartisan is a two-part word. The first element is the prefix bi-, which means "two"; the second is partisan, a word that traces through Middle French and north Italian dialect to the Latin part- or pars, meaning "part." Partisan itself has a long history as a word in English. It has been used as a noun in reference to a firm adherent to a party, faction, or cause (especially one exhibiting blind, prejudiced, and unreasoning allegiance), since the 16th century. The related adjective (meaning "of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan") appeared in the 19th century, as did, after a space of some 50 years, the adjective bipartisan.
Examples of bipartisan in a Sentence
Sean Wilentz, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2009
Seasoned observers of Washington tend to dismiss such talk of national unity and bipartisan cooperation as meaningless political boilerplate …
—Larissa MacFarquhar, New Yorker, 7 May 2007
Two recent national bipartisan blue-ribbon panels, the National Research Council Committee on Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children and the National Reading Panel, came to converging conclusions.
—Bennet A. Shawitz, New Republic, 6 Nov. 2000
The bill has bipartisan support.
Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
Reality check: The bill may be political posturing to allow Democrats to paint their political rivals as anti-veteran, because bipartisan support is unlikely.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025
The plan, approved on a 27-5 bipartisan vote, now moves to the House, which could vote this week to send the measure to Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe for his likely signature.
—arkansasonline.com, 12 Mar. 2025
While serving in Congress, Weldon sponsored a bill that passed with bipartisan support in 2003.
—Chantelle Lee, TIME, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bipartisan
Cite this Entry
“Bipartisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bipartisan. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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bipartisan
adjective
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