part [OE] This is from Latin pars, part- ‘part’, the same Latin source that gave us depart [ME]; particle [LME]; particular [LME] ‘small part’ with the sense ‘attentive to detail’ developing E17th; participate ‘take part in’ [M16th]; partisan [M16th] ‘one who takes the part of’; partition [LME] ‘something that divides into parts’; and party [ME]. This last was originally used in the sense of a group opposed to others, and only developed the social gathering sense in the early 18th century. Latin a parte ‘at the side’ gives us apart [LME], and via French, apartment [M17th], while Latin impartare ‘give a share of’ gives us impart [LME] and impartial [L16th].