\Par"tial\, a. [F., fr. LL. partials, fr. L. pars, gen.
partis, a part; cf. (for sense 1) F. partiel. See {Part}, n.]
1. 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.
2. Inclined to favor one party in a cause, or one side of a
   question, more then the other; baised; not indifferent;
   as, a judge should not be partial.
         Ye have been partial in the law.      --Mal. ii. 9.
3. Having a predelection for; inclined to favor unreasonably;
   foolishly fond. ``A partial parent.'' --Pope.
         Not partial to an ostentatious display. --Sir W.
                                               Scott.
4. (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.
{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}.