A partisan is a person who is a committed member of a political party and strongly supports their partys policies, often without considering or judging the matter very carefully. The term's meaning has changed over the years, and in the United States, it now refers to an individual with a psychological identification with one of the major parties. Partisans are often reluctant to compromise with political opponents.
In addition to its political meaning, the term "partisan" can also refer to a member of a body of detached light troops making forays and harassing an enemy. This usage is less common than the political meaning.
Extreme partisanship is generally regarded as detrimental to the functioning of democratic governments, in part because of its typical basis in motivated reasoning and misperceptions of political reality. Among political leaders and officeholders, such "hyperpartisanship" is usually manifested in an unwillingness to cooperate or compromise on important matters with leaders and officeholders of another party.
