papa
noun
papa
American
[pah-puh, puh-pah]
/ ˈpɑ pə, pəˈpɑ /
noun
-
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
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.
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 • Dec. 19, 2025
‘You’ve got to take care of mama bear and papa bear first.’
From MarketWatch • Dec. 16, 2025
But not before papa Ozzy got a few words in edgewise.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025
Days before his father's release on Thursday, Díaz scored a goal against Luton and lifted his shirt to reveal the words in Spanish "freedom for papa".
From BBC • Nov. 11, 2023
“What about Vasilisa? She said she’d get my papa, but only if we brought the Nightingale alive.”
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
