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• papa
  papa

  noun

  father.
• Papa
  Papa

  noun

  communications a code word for the letter p

papa

American  

[pah-puh, puh-pah] / ˈpɑ pə, pəˈpɑ /

noun

1. father.

2. Papa, a code word used in communications, especially by radio, to represent the letter P.

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Papa ¹ British  

/ ˈpɑːpɑː /

noun

1. communications a code word for the letter p

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papa ² British  

/ pəˈpɑː /

noun

1. old-fashioned an informal word for father

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papa ³ British  

/ ˈpɑːpɑː /

noun

1. RC Church another name for the pope 1

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papa ⁴ British  

/ ˈpɑːpa /

noun

1. rare. a soft blue-grey clay of marine siltstone or sandstone

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Etymology

Origin of papa

First recorded in 1675–85; from French; Middle French pappa (nursery word); compare Latin pāpa “father” ( see pope), Old Norse pāpi, pabbi “father”; see pap ¹

Example Sentences

Papa John’s is working to close hundreds of domestic stores, slash menu items and cut corporate jobs as it seeks to turn around its business.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Papa John’s will also look for additional cost-savings, driven by supply-chain savings and operational efficiencies, he added.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Acoustic Christmas had several bands that hit quite a while ago: Papa Roach, All-American Rejects, Evanescence.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Pizza brands like Papa John’s and Pizza Hut that bought NFTs for promotional purposes likewise failed to see their value appreciate.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

Papa just stood there for a second, staring at me; then, uttering a low whistle, he turned and looked toward the river bottoms.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• dad