non-partisan
UK[ˌnɒn pɑːtɪˈzæn]US[ˌnɑːn ˈpɑːrtəzən]
adj
not supporting or controlled by any political party
Morpheme Breakdown
non
partisan
non
not
partisan
strong supporter of a party
Etymology
the word 'non-partisan' is a modern english compound formed by adding the latin-derived negative prefix 'non-' to the existing noun 'partisan'. the term 'partisan' itself entered english via french from the italian 'partigiano', meaning a member of a faction or party, which ultimately derives from the latin 'partiri', meaning 'to divide'. the logic of the compound is transparent: 'non-partisan' literally means 'not a partisan', directly negating the idea of allegiance to a single political division. this construction elegantly creates a term for neutrality, describing a person or position that stands apart from, and is not influenced by, established party politics.
Analysis
Structure: non (not) + partisan (strong supporter of a party)
non- (latin origin, a prefix meaning 'not'); partisan (french origin, from italian 'partigiano', meaning a strong supporter of a party, faction, or cause).
Examples
the committee is supposed to be non-partisan and make recommendations based on evidence.
she served as a non-partisan advisor to several successive administrations.
the newspaper prides itself on its non-partisan reporting of the election.