papa
noun
papa
American
[pah-puh, puh-pah]
/ ˈpɑ pə, pəˈpɑ /
noun
papas
plural
-
Papa, a code word used in communications, especially by radio, to represent the letter P.
Papa
1
British
/ ˈpɑːpɑː /
noun
papa
2
British
/ pəˈpɑː /
noun
papa
3
British
/ ˈpɑːpɑː /
noun
papa
4
British
/ ˈpɑːpa /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Prabhujyot Singh told BBC Hindi that his son called him during the fire and said: "Papa, there's a fire. Save me, I'm trapped inside."
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
Some chains, including Cheesecake Factory, Texas Roadhouse and Papa John’s, have listed the drugs as a potential risk to their businesses.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Papa John’s is closing hundreds of stores, cutting menu items, and reducing corporate jobs as it navigates a weak consumer backdrop.
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
When Grandpa and I came in sight of our house, we saw Mama, Papa, Daisy, and Rowdy standing on the porch.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
