Dictionary.com

papa

[ pah-puh, puh-pah ]
/ ˈpɑ pə, pəˈpɑ /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for papa on Thesaurus.com

noun

father.
(initial capital letter) a code word used in communications, especially by radio, to represent the letter P.

QUIZZES

THINK YOU’VE GOT A HANDLE ON THIS US STATE NICKNAME QUIZ?

Did you ever collect all those state quarters? Put them to good use on this quiz about curious state monikers and the facts around them.
Question 1 of 8
Mississippi’s nickname comes from the magnificent trees that grow there. What is it?
The Sunflower State
The Evergreen State
The Magnolia State
The Mockingbird State
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of papa

1675–85; <French; Middle French pappa (nursery word); compare Latin pāpa father (see pope), Old Norse pāpi, pabbi father. See pap1

Words nearby papa

Paoli, Paolozzi, Paoting, Paotow, pap, papa, papable, papacy, Papadopoulos, Papagayo, Papago
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to papa

dad, pop, daddy, pa

Example sentences from the Web for papa

British Dictionary definitions for papa (1 of 4)

papa1
/ (pəˈpɑː) /

noun

old-fashioned an informal word for father (def. 1)

Word Origin for papa

C17: from French, a children's word for father; compare Late Latin pāpa, Greek pappa

British Dictionary definitions for papa (2 of 4)

papa2
/ (ˈpɑːpɑː) /

noun

RC Church another name for the pope 1 (def. 1)

Word Origin for papa

C16: from Italian

British Dictionary definitions for papa (3 of 4)

papa3
/ (ˈpɑːpa) /

noun

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

Word Origin for papa

Māori

British Dictionary definitions for papa (4 of 4)

Papa
/ (ˈpɑːpɑː) /

noun

communications a code word for the letter p
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Tired of Typos? Get Help Now!