Nonpartisan

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Free from allegiance to any political party or faction, maintaining objectivity and impartiality in decision-making or analysis
2. Being devoid of commitment to any particular political group or ideology, ensuring neutrality and fairness in evaluations or actions
3. Lacking loyalty to any political party, thus promoting unbiased perspectives and equitable treatment in various discussions or assessments

Etymology: "Nonpartisan" is a plain compound: the prefix "non-," meaning "not," joined to "partisan." The prefix descends from Old English "nān," meaning "not one," which gradually contracted into the "non-" used in modern English. The "partisan" half is a borrowing from French, where "partisan" meant a member of a party or faction, and its older roots lie in the Italian "partigiano," from "parte," part. Its earliest English sense was a supporter of a faction, which is why a "partisan" is someone committed to one side. Putting the two together produces a word meaning "not committed to any side." The combination is a straightforward modern formation, and it is most often used of elections, courts, civil servants, and journalism, where neutrality is expected.

Synonyms: impartial, neutral, unbiased

Antonyms: partisan, biased