Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A person considered with reference to his means or position as related to marriage: as, a good parti (French un bon parti), a good match in regard to pecuniary and social status.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun dated Someone (especially a man) who is considered to be a good choice for marriage, because of wealth, status etc.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French parti.

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Examples

  • River, the coöperative spirit of doing the housework together, the satirical commencements in parti-colored caps and gowns, lent themselves toward a reproduction of the comradeship which college life fosters.

    Twenty Years at Hull-House, With Autobiographical Notes 1910

  • The green leaves rustled overhead, with glimpses of intensely blue sky between; and brilliant patches of sunshine flickered down upon groups of wild-looking, half-savage figures in parti-coloured garments.

    A Thousand Miles Up the Nile 1891

  • They simply won’t give any, and as a policy, you know — what you call a parti pris, a deep game — that’s positively remarkable.”

    The Ambassadors 2003

  • They simply won't give any, and as a policy, you know -- what you call a parti pris, a deep game -- that's positively remarkable. "

    The Ambassadors Henry James 1879

  • In horses, an eye made up of both blue and brown parts is also called a parti-colored eye or blue-chip eye.

    TheHorse.com News 2009

  • Roans are classified as parti-colors and may be of any of the usual roaning patterns.

    unknown title 2009

  • Four of the six authors of the report were almost better described as parti pris campaigners than experts.

    Top stories from Times Online 2009

  • Commn* nicationem, aat, alb modo JiaABObs concefTas annullaremus,. & revocanemus, ac alias parti - cuUres illis concederemus •

    Adm. rev. p. F. Lucii Ferraris ... Prompta Bibliotheca canonica, juridica, moralis, theologica ... 1782

  • He is a great 'parti' among a certain set down here.

    Red Pottage Mary Cholmondeley 1892

  • -- that my Lord Callonby had not only witnessed but approved of my attachment to his beautiful daughter, and for reasons probably known to him, but concealed from me, opined that I was a suitable "parti," and gave all due encouragement to my suit.

    The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — Volume 1 Charles James Lever 1839

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