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Part — in plain language

a piece or portion of something larger — like part of a document, part of a payment, or part of an agreement

From a fixed, curated glossary of 7,257 legal terms. Not legal advice. How it's made: plainlanguage.us/trust

Plain language

a piece or portion of something larger — like part of a document, part of a payment, or part of an agreement

  • portion
  • piece
  • share
  • segment
  • section

What to watch for

  • The phrase 'in whole or in part' means 'completely or partially' — do not translate 'part' as 'role' or 'position' in this context.
  • 'Made a part hereof' means 'included in this document' — not 'became a component of' in the physical sense.
  • 'On the part of' means 'by' or 'from the side of' — not 'regarding' or 'concerning.'
  • When 'part' refers to a duplicate document (like a deed), it means one of two matching originals — not just any portion.

Multiple Meanings in Legal Context. The word "part" serves several related but distinct functions in legal language. It can mean a portion of a whole (part of a payment), a section of a document (part of an agreement), or one of two matching documents (a part and its counterpart). The surrounding words usually make the intended meaning clear.

What to Watch For.

  • "In whole or in part" — This phrase means "completely or partially" and appears frequently in contracts and legal provisions.
  • "Made a part hereof" — This means the referenced document or section is incorporated into the main document and has the same legal effect.
  • "On the part of" — This means "by" or "from the side of" and indicates who is performing an action.
  • Document counterparts — When a document is signed in multiple copies, each copy may be called a "part" with the others being "counterparts."

Common Misunderstandings by Non-Lawyers.

  • "'Part' always means a piece or portion." (Usually true, but in document execution, it can mean one of two identical signed copies.)
  • "'In part' means 'involving' or 'regarding.'" (No — it means 'partially' or 'to some degree.')
  • "If something is 'part of' an agreement, it's optional." (Not necessarily — it depends on how the agreement is structured.)

A piece or portion of something larger. In legal documents, "part" usually means a section or segment of a whole — such as part of a contract, part of a payment, or part of an agreement. It can also refer to one of two identical copies of a document, where each copy is called a "part" and the other is the "counterpart."

Examples

Legal: therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all

Plain: the Company must protect Indemnitee from all claims mentioned in that section, whether the section applies completely or only partially

Legal: of Exhibit H attached hereto and made a part hereof, setting forth the Working

Plain: Exhibit H is attached and included as part of this agreement, and it describes the Working

Legal: interim or progress billings or retention rights on the part of the

Plain: interim or progress billings or retention rights by the

Where you'll see it

  • contracts and agreements
  • deeds and property documents
  • corporate filings
  • insurance policies
  • counterpart
  • portion
  • share
  • segment
  • whole

Word details

Pronunciation
pahrt
Part of speech
noun
Origin
Latin — from 'pars' — a portion, piece, or share
Domains
contract law, real property, corporate law, securities law
Frequency
very common
Formality
moderate

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