Bipartisan

Definition

Bipartisan is an adjective meaning supported by, composed of, or involving members of two (typically major) political parties; characterized by cooperation or agreement across party lines.

Parts of Speech

• Adjective

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA: /ˌbaɪˈpɑːr.tɪ.zən/
• Respelling: bye-PAR-ti-zən

British English

• IPA: /ˌbaɪˈpɑː.tɪ.zæn/
• Respelling: bye-PAH-ti-zan

Etymology

Formed from the prefix bi- ‘two’ + partisan. Partisan comes via French from Italian partigiano ‘supporter of a party or faction,’ from parte ‘part, faction.’ The modern political sense of bipartisan arose in the early 20th century in U.S. political discourse.

Derivatives

• bipartisanship (noun) – the quality or state of being bipartisan.
• bipartisanism (noun) – less common; advocacy or practice of bipartisan cooperation.
• bipartisanly (adverb) – in a bipartisan manner (rare).
• bi-partisan (variant spelling).

Synonyms

• cross-party
• two-party
• interparty
• nonsectarian (political context)
• across-the-aisle

Antonyms

• partisan
• one-sided
• party-line
• polarized
• unilateral (political context)

Usage

Adjective: Describes actions, legislation, committees, or agreements that involve cooperation from two major parties. For example, “The Senate passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill,” or “Negotiators reached a bipartisan compromise after weeks of talks.”

Related Terms

• Partisan: Strongly supporting one party or cause.
• Nonpartisan: Not affiliated with or biased toward any political party.
• Coalition: A temporary alliance of parties for combined action.
• Compromise: An agreement reached by each side making concessions.
• Cross-bench / Across the aisle: Informal phrases denoting cooperation between parties.

Detailed Definitions

Adjective

• Supported by or involving two political parties – especially the chief rival parties in a legislature or political system.
  • Example: “The committee issued a bipartisan report on election security.”
• Composed of members from two parties – indicating mixed party membership within a body or initiative.
  • Example: “A bipartisan task force was formed to address the budget shortfall.”
• Characterized by cross-party cooperation or agreement – emphasizing collaborative intent rather than party dominance.
  • Example: “Leaders called for a bipartisan approach to disaster relief.”