GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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1.       
   partial , a. [F., fr. LL. partials, fr. L. pars, gen. partis, a part; cf. (for sense 1) F. partiel. See Part, n.]
   Of, pertaining to, or affecting, a part only; not general or universal; not total or entire; as, a partial eclipse of the moon. “Partial dissolutions of the earth.” 
   T. Burnet.
   
   1913 Webster
   Inclined to favor one party in a cause, or one side of a question, more then the other; biased; not indifferent; as, a judge should not be partial.
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   Ye have been partial in the law.
   Mal. ii. 9.
   
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   Having a predilection for; inclined to favor unreasonably; foolishly fond. “A partial parent.” 
   Pope.
   
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   Not partial to an ostentatious display.
   Sir W. Scott.
   
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   (Bot.) Pertaining to a subordinate portion; as, a compound umbel is made up of a several partial umbels; a leaflet is often supported by a partial petiole.
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   Partial differentials, Partial differential coefficients, Partial differentiation, etc. (of a function of two or more variables), the differentials, differential coefficients, differentiation etc., of the function, upon the hypothesis that some of the variables are for the time constant. -- Partial fractions (Alg.), fractions whose sum equals a given fraction. -- Partial tones (Music), the simple tones which in combination form an ordinary tone; the overtones, or harmonics, which, blending with a fundamental tone, cause its special quality of sound, or timbre, or tone color. See, also, Tone.
   1913 Webster