pa
noun
pa
1 American
[pah, paw]
/ pɑ, pɔ /
noun
Informal.
pas
plural
Pa
2
American
abbreviation
Physics.
Pa
3
American
Symbol, Chemistry.
PA
4
American
abbreviation
-
Parents' Association.
-
paying agent.
-
Pennsylvania (approved especially for use with zip code).
-
physician's assistant.
-
press agent.
-
public-address system.
Pa.
5
American
abbreviation
p.a.
6
American
abbreviation
-
participial adjective.
-
per annum.
-
press agent.
P.A.
7
American
abbreviation
-
Parents' Association.
-
Insurance. particular average.
-
passenger agent.
-
post adjutant.
-
power of attorney.
-
press agent.
-
public-address system.
-
publicity agent.
-
purchasing agent.
PA
1
British
abbreviation
-
Pennsylvania
-
personal appearance
-
personal assistant
-
military Post Adjutant
-
power of attorney
-
press agent
-
Press Association
-
banking private account
-
public-address system
-
publicity agent
-
Publishers Association
-
purchasing agent
-
insurance particular average
-
(in New Zealand) probationary assistant
-
Panama (international car registration)
pa
2
British
/ pɑː /
noun
-
a Māori village or settlement
-
history a Māori defensive position and settlement on a hilltop
-
to abandon city life in favour of rural life
Pa
3
British
symbol
symbol
Pa.
4
British
abbreviation
pa
5
British
/ pɑː /
noun
pa
6
British
abbreviation
p.a.
7
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pa
Short for papa
Vocabulary lists containing pa
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.
Do you and your pa bond best over a meal or a pint?
From Seattle Times • Jun. 15, 2023
Because stop sounds, along with vowels, are the earliest and most frequent sounds babies tend to babble – which means "pa," "ta," "ba" and "da" are all early infant vocalizations.
From Salon • Jun. 18, 2022
The goi pa, a vibrant fish salad, is shimmering and opulent, scented with many kinds of mint, the meaty pieces almost invisible among a generous mass of makrut lime leaves and red onion.
From New York Times • Mar. 8, 2022
Syl’s pa said, “You know what that sheriff’s man’s got planned for you, don’t you?”
From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis
“Nature likes things in balance. My pa taught me that. Maybe the screechers kept the snail population in check.”
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
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.
