para

¹

[pah-rah, pahr-ah]

noun

plural

paras, para 

1. a coin and monetary unit of Macedonia and Serbia, one 100th of a dinar.

2. formerly, a coin and monetary unit of Yugoslavia, one 100th of a dinar.

para-

²

1. a prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, most often attached to verbs and verbal derivatives, with the meanings “at or to one side of, beside, side by side” (parabola; paragraph; parallel; paralysis ), “beyond, past, by” (paradox; paragogue ); by extension from these senses, this prefix came to designate objects or activities auxiliary to or derivative of that denoted by the base word (parody; paronomasia ), and hence abnormal or defective (paranoia ), a sense now common in modern scientific coinages (parageusia; paralexia ). As an English prefix, para-1 may have any of these senses; it is also productive in the naming of occupational roles considered ancillary or subsidiary to roles requiring more training, or of a higher status, on such models as paramedical and paraprofessional: paralegal; paralibrarian; parapolice .

2. Chemistry.,  a combining form designating the para (1, 4) position in the benzene ring. p-.

para

³

[pah-rah, pahr-ah]

noun

plural

paras, para 

1. a former copper coin of Turkey, the 40th part of a piaster.

para-

⁴

1. a combining form meaning “guard against,” occurring in loanwords from French, or, via French, from Italian: parachute; parasol .

para

⁵

[par-uh]

adjective

Chemistry.

1. pertaining to or occupying two positions (1, 4) in the benzene ring that are separated by two carbon atoms.

noun

1. para-dichlorobenzene.

para-

⁶

1. a combining form extracted from parachute, forming compounds denoting persons or things utilizing parachutes or landed by parachute: paradrop; paradoctor; paraglider; paratrooper .

para

⁷

[par-uh]

noun

Informal.

1. paraprofessional.

2. paratrooper.

3. paragraph.

para

⁸

[par-uh]

noun

Obstetrics.

plural

paras, parae 

1. Also called parity. a woman's status regarding the bearing of viable offspring: usually followed by a Roman numeral designating the number of times the woman has given birth.

2. the woman herself.

Pará

⁹

[pah-rah]

noun

1. an estuary in N Brazil: an arm of the Amazon. 200 miles (320 km) long; 40 miles (65 km) wide.

2. Belém.

3. Pará rubber.

Para.

¹⁰

abbreviation

1. Paraguay.

para-

¹

prefix

1. beside; near

   parameter

   parathyroid

2. beyond

   parapsychology

3. resembling

   paramnesia

4. defective; abnormal

   paraesthesia

5. subsidiary to

   paraphysis

6. p-. (usually in italics) denoting that an organic compound contains a benzene ring with substituents attached to atoms that are directly opposite across the ring (the 1,4- positions) Compare ortho- meta-

   paradinitrobenzene

   para-cresol

7. denoting an isomer, polymer, or compound related to a specified compound

   paraldehyde

   paracasein

8. denoting the form of a diatomic substance in which the spins of the two constituent atoms are antiparallel Compare ortho-

   parahydrogen

para

²

/ ˈpærə /

noun

1. 1. a soldier in an airborne unit

   2. an airborne unit

2. a paragraph

Pará

³

/ paˈra /

noun

1. a state of N Brazil, on the Atlantic: mostly dense tropical rainforest Capital: Belém. Pop: 6 453 683 (2002). Area: 1 248 042 sq km (474 896 sq miles)

2. another name for Belém

3. an estuary in N Brazil into which flow the Tocantins River and a branch of the Amazon. Length: about 320 km (200 miles)

para

⁴

/ ˈpɑːrə /

noun

1. a monetary unit of Serbia worth one hundredth of a dinar; formerly a monetary unit of Yugoslavia

para-

⁵

combining form

1. indicating an object that acts as a protection against something

   parachute

   parasol

para

⁶

/ ˈpɑːrɑː /

noun

1. Also called: horseshoe fern.  king fern. a New Zealand fern, Marattia salicina , with long heavy fronds

Word History and Origins

Origin of para-¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from Serbo-Croatian pàra, from Turkish; para ²

Origin of para-²

< Greek para-, combining form representing pará (preposition) beside, alongside of, by, beyond

Origin of para-³

First recorded in 1680–90; from Turkish, from Persian pāra, literally, “piece”

Origin of para-⁴

< French < Italian para, 3rd-person singular present of parare to prepare against, ward off < Latin parāre to prepare

Origin of para-⁵

First recorded in 1875–80; independent use of para- ¹

Origin of para-⁶

By shortening of words compounded with para- ¹, para- ³

Origin of para-⁷

First recorded in 1880–85; extracted from primipara ( def. ), multipara, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of para-¹

from Greek para (prep) alongside, beyond

Origin of para-²

C17: Serbo-Croat, via Turkish from Persian pārah piece, portion

Origin of para-³

via French from Italian para-, from parare to defend, shield against, ultimately from Latin parāre to prepare

Origin of para-⁴

Māori