‘Third Party’ and ‘Third-Party’ are terms used to talk about a person or group that isn’t directly involved in an event or deal between two others.
Have you ever wondered if you should use third party or third-party in your writing? Both phrases are used often, but which one is correct?
‘Third party’ as a noun when you’re talking about a person or group that’s not directly involved in an event or deal between two parties.
When you use ‘third-party’ with a hyphen, it means the same thing but is used as an adjective to describe a noun that comes after it.
Third Party or Third-Party? Which is Correct?
Both third party and third-party are correct, but it depends on the situation in which you are using them.
“Third Party” is a noun phrase that refers to a person or group who is not directly involved in a particular situation or dispute.
- “The third party in the dispute was able to help the two parties come to an agreement.”
In this case, “third party” is a noun phrase that stands on its own and does not modify any other word.
On the other hand, “third-party” is an adjective that modifies another noun in a sentence.
- “The company hired a third-party vendor to handle their IT needs.”
In this case, “third-party” is used as an adjective to describe the vendor, which is a noun.
Third Party: Meaning and Usage
When you come across the term ‘third party,’ it’s about someone or something that’s not directly part of a deal or relationship between two others. As a noun, ‘third party’ can mean a person, group, or business.
‘Third parties’ can have different roles, based on the situation:
- In politics, ‘third-party’ candidates are the ones who aren’t linked with the two main political parties.
- In legal situations, a ‘third party’ might be asked to help settle an argument between two other parties.
- In the business world, a ‘third-party’ provider might offer services like creating software or giving customer support.
Third-Party: Meaning and Usage
The term ‘third-party,’ just like ‘third party,’ talks about someone or something that’s not directly part of a deal or situation.
But there’s a difference in how you use ‘third-party.’ It’s used as an adjective. The hyphen shows that it’s changing another noun in the sentence, giving more detail or making that noun clearer.
For example, if you say ‘third-party vendor,’ you’re using ‘third-party’ as an adjective to explain what kind of vendor it is.
To sum it up, you use ‘third-party’ when you want to talk about something related to a third party. It’s an adjective form that helps give more detail about the noun it’s changing.
Examples of Using “Third party“ in A Sentence
“The contract was signed by a third party to ensure fairness.”
“In the dispute, they sought the opinion of a third party.”
“The third party in the transaction was a notary public.”
“A third party was brought in to mediate the disagreement.”
“The third party verified the authenticity of the artwork.”
“The insurance company acted as a third party in the settlement.”
Examples of Using “Third-party“ in A Sentence
“We use a third-party provider for our IT support.”
“The data was collected by a third-party research firm.”
“The company outsourced their customer service to a third-party agency.”
“The app allows third-party integrations for added functionality.”
“The software included third-party plugins.”
“The website uses third-party cookies to improve user experience.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ‘third party’ hyphenated when used in a business context?
Yes, ‘third party’ is generally hyphenated when used in a business context. The hyphen helps to clarify that the two words work together as a single adjective to describe a type of service or product. For example, “third-party vendor,” or “third-party data.”
What is the correct plural form of ‘third party’?
The correct plural form of ‘third party’ is ‘third parties.’ The plural form is used when referring to multiple third parties, such as “We work with several third parties to provide our services.”
Does AP Style recommend using ‘third party’ or ‘3rd party’?
The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook recommends using ‘third party’ instead of ‘3rd party.’ While ‘3rd party’ is commonly used in informal contexts, it is not considered appropriate for formal writing.
