Phrase guide

sleeping partner

noun · 2 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A business partner who doesn't play an active role in running the day-to-day operations of a business, who instead, finances the business in the form of capital investment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Ireland, UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: silent partner

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a partner (who usually provides capital) whose association with the enterprise is not public knowledge

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: silent partner

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: partner

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: stiller Gesellschafter — a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital
  • German: stiller Teilhaber — a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital
  • Hungarian: csendestárs — a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital
  • Indonesian: mitra persero takkerja — a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital
  • Malay: pekongsi tidur — a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital
  • Malay: rakan kongsi lelap — a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital
  • Swedish: passiv delägare — a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital