paradise

¹

[par-uh-dahys, -dahyz]

noun

1. heaven, as the final abode of the righteous.

2. an intermediate place for the departed souls of the righteous awaiting resurrection.

3. (often initial capital letter),  Eden.

4. a place of extreme beauty, delight, or happiness.

5. a state of supreme happiness; bliss.

6. Architecture.

   1. parvis.

   2. an enclosure beside a church, as an atrium or cloister.

7. Italian Paradiso. (initial capital letter, italics),  the third and concluding part of Dante's Divine Comedy, depicting heaven, through which he is guided by Beatrice.

Paradise

²

[par-uh-dahys, -dahyz]

noun

1. a town in N California.

paradise

/ ˈpærəˌdaɪs /

noun

1. heaven as the ultimate abode or state of the righteous

2. Islam the sensual garden of delights that the Koran promises the faithful after death

3. Also called: limbo. (according to some theologians) the intermediate abode or state of the just prior to the Resurrection of Jesus, as in Luke 23:43

4. the place or state of happiness enjoyed by Adam before the first sin; the Garden of Eden

5. any place or condition that fulfils all one's desires or aspirations

6. a park in which foreign animals are kept

paradise

1. A place or state of pure happiness. Christians (see also Christian) have identified paradise both with the Garden of Eden and with heaven.

Word History and Origins

Origin of paradise¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English paradīs, from Late Latin paradīsus, from Greek parádeisos “park, pleasure-grounds,” from Old Iranian; compare Avestan pairi-daēza “enclosure”; akin to Greek perí peri- ( def. ), teîkhos “mound, wall”

Word History and Origins

Origin of paradise¹

Old English, from Church Latin paradīsus, from Greek paradeisos garden, of Persian origin; compare Avestan pairidaēza enclosed area, from pairi- around + daēza wall

Idioms and Phrases

see fool's paradise.

Example Sentences

But I’m not sure a paradise of political civility ever existed in this country.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Some people think we are living in a paradise," she said.

Read more on BBC

Each of the festival’s three stages was curated to reflect Kristal’s evolving vision for his infamous patch of punk rock paradise.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“We have a paradise here, and we’ve worked really hard to make this be a little garden of Eden,” Meyer said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

One man told the BBC in Russian that he was voting for change because the PAS government had "promised paradise and delivered nothing".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bliss 
• heaven 
• utopia 
• wonderland