Definition

In mathematics, a derivative that focuses on one variable at a time while treating all the others like they're frozen in carbonite—perfect for analyzing complex multivariable functions. It's the calculus equivalent of saying "let's just deal with one problem at a time." Also refers to dentures that only replace some teeth, though that usage appears in significantly fewer equations.

Example Usage

To optimize the profit function, we calculated the partial derivatives with respect to both price and quantity, holding everything else constant.

Source: Mathematical and academic terminology

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