Bipartisan is a term that is frequently used in politics and refers to a situation where two political parties or groups work together to achieve a common goal. This term has become increasingly important in recent years as political polarization has increased, and it has become more difficult for politicians to work across party lines. In this article, we will explore the definition and meaning of bipartisan, its origins, associations, synonyms, antonyms, and provide example sentences to help you understand the term better.
Definitions
The term bipartisan is defined as an agreement or cooperation between two political parties or groups that usually have different views or ideologies. It is a term that is used to describe a situation where two opposing sides come together to find a solution to a problem or to pass legislation. The term has its roots in the Latin word “bi,” which means “two,” and “partisan,” which means “a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.”
Origin
The term bipartisan has been in use since the early 20th century. The first recorded use of the term was in 1919, in the United States Congress. The term was used to describe a situation where two political parties worked together to pass legislation. Since then, the term has become increasingly important in politics, and it is now used around the world to describe situations where two opposing sides work together.
Meaning in different dictionaries
The meaning of bipartisan is similar across different dictionaries. According to Merriam-Webster, bipartisan means “marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines bipartisan as “involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually have different views or ideologies.”
Associations
The term bipartisan is often associated with compromise, cooperation, and unity. It is a term that is used to describe situations where politicians put aside their differences and work together for the greater good. The term is also associated with democracy, as it is a fundamental principle of democratic societies that politicians should work together to find solutions to problems.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of bipartisan include nonpartisan, cross-party, and multipartisan. Nonpartisan refers to a situation where there is no affiliation with any political party. Cross-party refers to a situation where politicians from different parties work together. Multipartisan refers to a situation where politicians from multiple parties work together.
Antonyms
Some antonyms of bipartisan include partisan, divisive, and polarizing. Partisan refers to a situation where politicians are strongly affiliated with a political party and are unwilling to work with politicians from other parties. Divisive refers to a situation where politicians are actively working to create divisions between different groups. Polarizing refers to a situation where politicians are creating extreme positions that are difficult to reconcile.
The same root words
The root words of bipartisan are “bi,” which means “two,” and “partisan,” which means “a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.” Other words that have the same root words include bipedal, bipartite, and bipartisanism. Bipedal refers to an animal that walks on two legs. Bipartite refers to a situation where something is divided into two parts. Bipartisanism refers to the principle of working together across party lines.
Example Sentences
- The two political parties worked together in a bipartisan effort to pass the new legislation.
- The nonpartisan group was able to bring together politicians from different parties to find a solution to the problem.
- The divisive rhetoric used by the politician was not conducive to a bipartisan solution.
- The polarizing positions taken by the two political parties made it difficult to find a bipartisan solution to the problem.
- The bipartite nature of the issue meant that a bipartisan solution was necessary.