verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:pär-tāk'
General-American:/pɑɹˈteɪk/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Received-Pronunciation:pär-tāk'
Received-Pronunciation:/pɑːˈteɪk/
rhymes with -eɪk
CMU ARPABET:P AA0 R T EY1 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To take part in an activity; to participate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: formal, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To take a share or portion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: formal, intransitive
Examples
Will you partake of some food?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To have something of the properties, character, or office.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, intransitive
Examples
c. 1620, Francis Bacon, letter of advice to Sir George Villiers the Attorney of the Duchy of Lancaster , who partakes of both qualities, partly of a judge in the court, and partly of an attorney-general
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
consume
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
She didn't touch her food all night
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: touch
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: consume, ingest, take in, take, have
Narrower terms: receive
5
verb
Meaning 5
have, give, or receive a share of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
We shared the cake
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: share, partake in
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: get, acquire
Narrower terms: cut in
6
verb
Meaning 6
have some of the qualities or attributes of something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: share
History
Etymology
Back-formation from Middle English part-takinge, part-takynge (“a sharing; partaking”), a calque of Latin particeps (“participating”); equivalent to part + take. Compare take part. In the sense of taking a share or portion of something, displaced native Old English onbītan (“to taste of, to partake of”).
Across languages
Translations
57 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
уча́ствам
(učástvam)
— to take part in an activity
Chinese Mandarin:
参加
(cānjiā)
— to take part in an activity
Czech:
účastnit se
— to take part in an activity
Czech:
podílet se
— to take part in an activity
Czech:
zúčastnit se
— to take part in an activity
Dutch:
deelnemen
— to take part in an activity
Dutch:
participeren
— to take part in an activity
Esperanto:
partopreni
— to take part in an activity
Estonian:
osa võtma
— to take part in an activity
Estonian:
osalema
— to take part in an activity
Finnish:
osallistua
— to take part in an activity
Finnish:
ottaa osaa
— to take part in an activity
French:
participer
— to take part in an activity
Galician:
participar
— to take part in an activity
German:
teilnehmen
— to take part in an activity
German:
mitmachen
— to take part in an activity
Gothic:
𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽
(gamainjan)
— to take part in an activity
Gothic:
𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌽
(fairaihan)
— to take part in an activity
Greek:
μοιράζομαι
(moirázomai)
— to take part in an activity
Greek:
συνεργώ σε
(synergó se)
— to take part in an activity
Greek:
παίρνω μέρος
(paírno méros)
— to take part in an activity
Greek:
παίρνω μερίδιο
(paírno merídio)
— to take part in an activity
Ancient Greek:
μετέχῳ
(metékhōi)
— to take part in an activity
Hungarian:
részt vesz
— to take part in an activity
Irish:
bí rannpháirteach
— to take part in an activity
Italian:
partecipare
— to take part in an activity
Japanese:
参加する
(sanka suru)
— to take part in an activity
Latin:
participō
— to take part in an activity
Māori:
whakauru
— to take part in an activity
Māori:
kuhu
— to take part in an activity
Polish:
uczestniczyć
— to take part in an activity
Portuguese:
participar
— to take part in an activity
Romanian:
participa
— to take part in an activity
Russian:
принима́ть уча́стие
(prinimátʹ učástije)
— to take part in an activity
Russian:
приня́ть уча́стие
(prinjátʹ učástije)
— to take part in an activity
Russian:
уча́ствовать
(učástvovatʹ)
— to take part in an activity
Spanish:
participar
— to take part in an activity
Swedish:
delta
— to take part in an activity
Telugu:
పాల్గొను
(pālgonu)
— to take part in an activity
Bulgarian:
взимам си
(vzimam si)
— to take a share of food
Czech:
jíst
— to take a share of food
Czech:
pojíst
— to take a share of food
Czech:
sníst
— to take a share of food
Dutch:
mee-eten
— to take a share of food
German:
mitessen
— to take a share of food
Greek:
μεταλαμβάνω
(metalamváno)
— to take a share of food
Greek:
κοινωνώ
(koinonó)
— to take a share of food
Irish:
caith
— to take a share of food
Irish:
glac
— to take a share of food
Russian:
разделя́ть
(razdeljátʹ)
— to take a share of food
Russian:
раздели́ть
(razdelítʹ)
— to take a share of food
Russian:
отве́дать
(otvédatʹ)
— to take a share of food
