Advertisement
Advertisement
para
1[ pah-rah, pahr-ah ]
noun
, plural pa·ras, pa·ra.
- a coin and monetary unit of Macedonia and Serbia, one 100th of a dinar.
- formerly, a coin and monetary unit of Yugoslavia, one 100th of a dinar.
para-
2- 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 .
- Chemistry. a combining form designating the para (1, 4) position in the benzene ring. : p-. Compare meta- ( def 4b ), ortho- ( def 2b ).
para
3[ pah-rah, pahr-ah ]
noun
, plural pa·ras, pa·ra.
- a former copper coin of Turkey, the 40th part of a piaster.
para-
4- a combining form meaning “guard against,” occurring in loanwords from French, or, via French, from Italian: parachute; parasol .
para
5[ par-uh ]
adjective
, Chemistry.
noun
para-
6- 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.
para
8[ par-uh ]
noun
, Obstetrics.
, plural par·as, par·ae [par, -ee].
- 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.
- the woman herself.
Pará
9[ pah-rah ]
noun
- an estuary in N Brazil: an arm of the Amazon. 200 miles (320 km) long; 40 miles (65 km) wide.
Para.
10abbreviation for
- Paraguay.
para
1/ ˈpɑːrə /
noun
- a monetary unit of Serbia worth one hundredth of a dinar; formerly a monetary unit of Yugoslavia
Pará
2/ paˈra /
noun
- 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)
- another name for Belém
- an estuary in N Brazil into which flow the Tocantins River and a branch of the Amazon. Length: about 320 km (200 miles)
para-
3prefix
- beside; near
parathyroid
parameter
- beyond
parapsychology
- resembling
paramnesia
- defective; abnormal
paraesthesia
- subsidiary to
paraphysis
para-cresol
paradinitrobenzene
- denoting an isomer, polymer, or compound related to a specified compound
paraldehyde
paracasein
- denoting the form of a diatomic substance in which the spins of the two constituent atoms are antiparallel Compare ortho-
parahydrogen
para
4/ ˈpɑːrɑː /
noun
- a New Zealand fern, Marattia salicina , with long heavy fronds Also calledhorseshoe fernking fern
para-
5combining_form
- indicating an object that acts as a protection against something
parasol
parachute
para
6/ ˈpærə /
noun
- a soldier in an airborne unit
- an airborne unit
- a paragraph
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of para2
< Greek para-, combining form representing pará (preposition) beside, alongside of, by, beyond
Origin of para3
First recorded in 1680–90; from Turkish, from Persian pāra, literally, “piece”
Origin of para4
< French < Italian para, 3rd-person singular present of parare to prepare against, ward off < Latin parāre to prepare
Origin of para7
First recorded in 1880–85; extracted from primipara ( def ), multipara, etc.
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of para1
C17: Serbo-Croat, via Turkish from Persian pārah piece, portion
Origin of para2
from Greek para (prep) alongside, beyond
Origin of para3
Māori
Origin of para4
via French from Italian para-, from parare to defend, shield against, ultimately from Latin parāre to prepare
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse