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” ( pope ), Old Norse pāpi, pabbi “father”; pap ¹

Example Sentences

Hebel characterized Morrison as “very much like a papa bear, a protector” who was very close to Sheina, his only child.

From The Wall Street Journal

‘You’ve got to take care of mama bear and papa bear first.’

From MarketWatch

Someone’s got to pay as papa becomes grand-père, but the forecast is bleak.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Sounds like a papa wolf and a cute little wolf cub to me.”

From Literature

When Gustav swaggers back into the daughters’ lives to play the cheery grandfather and beloved papa, both are skeptical.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• dad