Partisanships

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A strong and often irrational allegiance to a particular party or group
2. a marked bias or loyalty that affects judgment and decision-making
3. the act or state of being excessively supportive of one's side in political or social conflicts

Etymology: "Partisanships" is simply the plural of "partisanship," so it is the plural form of a noun meaning a marked bias or loyalty that affects judgment. The base word, "partisanship," is formed from "partisan" plus the suffix "-ship." "Partisan" is the older element, and it reached English through the French "partisan," a word with a long history of meaning a supporter of a party or faction. The suffix "-ship" has a much deeper ancestry: it traces back to the Proto-Germanic "*skapiz," a word meaning shape or condition, and it appears in Old English as "-scipe." Over the centuries it came to mark a state, quality, or condition, as in "friendship" or "hardship," and this is the sense it brings to "partisanship." Put together, the pieces describe the condition of being a partisan: a state of loyalty to one side that shapes how one judges and decides. The plural form counts separate instances of that condition, such as the distinct biases a group of people might display.