third-party

1 of 2

adjective

third-par·​ty ˈthərd-ˈpär-tē How to pronounce third-party (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or involving a third party
third-party insurance
2
: of, relating to, or being software that is created by a vendor to be compatible with the products of another vendor

third party

2 of 2

noun

1
: a person other than the principals
a third party to a divorce proceeding
insurance against injury to third parties
2
a
: a major political party operating over a limited period of time in addition to two other major parties in a nation or state normally characterized by a two-party system

Examples of third-party in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Look for reputable brands that have been third-party tested for quality. Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 4 June 2025 Third-Party Extensions With Excessive Permissions A major but often ignored risk is the misuse of third-party browser extensions that can access cloud content. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
Seagate’s first generation HAMR drives used third party lasers to heat the disks. Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 The document said Lopez would be ineligible to return to Microsoft as an employee, contractor, or in any other capacity, including an employee of a Microsoft partner, customer or other third party. Hayden Field, CNBC, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for third-party

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of third-party was in 1641

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Third-party.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/third-party. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

third party

noun
1
: a person other than the main participants
a third party to the legal proceedings
2
a
: a political party operating usually for a limited time in addition to the two major parties in a 2-party system

Legal Definition

third party

see party sense 1a, b

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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