English Reference
noun · verb

parts

n. · v.
US /ˈpɑɹts/ UK /pˈɑːts/ parts

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

    n.two or more pieces that make up a complete object or system.

    n.constituent portions or components which together comprise a whole entity or system.

    Simple

    The mechanic ordered the new parts to fix the broken engine.

    In context

    The assembly of the aircraft requires thousands of precision-engineered parts sourced from suppliers across the globe.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate Informal

    n.a particular area or neighborhood, often used when talking about where you live.

    n.a particular region, district, or vicinity; frequently used in the idiomatic phrase 'these parts'.

    Simple

    We don't see many tourists in these parts during the winter.

    In context

    Having grown up in these parts, he was intimately familiar with the hidden trails that bypassed the main coastal roads.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal

    n.a polite or indirect way to talk about a person's sex organs.

    n.a euphemistic reference to the external genitalia; a shortened form of 'private parts'.

    Simple

    The doctor asked if he had any pain in his private parts.

    In context

    The medical examiner noted minor bruising to the victim's private parts, suggesting a struggle had occurred prior to the injury.

    genitalsprivate parts
  4. 04 C2 Proficiency LiteraryArchaic

    n.a person's natural skills or intelligence.

    n.intellectual ability, learning, or natural talents; often used in the phrase 'a man of parts'.

    Simple

    He was known as a man of many parts, being both a poet and a scientist.

    In context

    The biography depicts the statesman as a man of singular parts, possessing both a keen legal mind and a profound grasp of classical philosophy.

  5. 05 B1 Intermediate

    v.to move away from someone or to divide something into pieces.

    v.the third-person singular present form of 'part', meaning to separate, divide, or leave someone's company.

    Simple

    The river parts into two smaller streams just before the lake.

    In context

    The crowd parts as the motorcade approaches, creating a narrow corridor for the vehicles to pass through the square.

Usage parts of the country · parts of the world · parts of southern

The change carries particular weight because the earthquake also hit Chocó and other parts of Colombia’s Pacific and western regions hard.

UN News· 13 Aug 2026

And that will be followed by much cooler conditions for all parts over the weekend as this heatwave is brought to a quick end.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Very common
Updated