parasol
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of parasol
1610–20; < French, Middle French < Italian parasole. See para- 2, Sol
Explanation
A parasol is a little umbrella that protects you from the sun. If you are trying to imitate a fancy Victorian lady, get yourself a parasol. An umbrella is a collapsible shade that people use to keep from getting wet in the rain or burned in the sun. A similar device is a parasol. Parasols are smaller than umbrellas, so they're not as useful in the rain. However, many people, especially on the beach, use parasols to keep the sun from beating down on them. If you don't want a sunburn, a parasol is handy.
Vocabulary lists containing parasol
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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"Balboa," Vocabulary from the short story
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English Words Derived from French, List 4
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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.
See Examples For:
Francesca Manca, 74, looked on, with a parasol in one hand and a fan in the other.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Her face was concealed by a veil, a wide-brim hat and a white parasol that she said was inspired by an image of a jellyfish that excited her 2-year-old daughter.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
Beneath its parasol of trees, the memorial remains the most tranquil of civic sites, welcoming visitors to pause on granite benches slightly elevated above a mosaic tiled floor meant to evoke a classical temple.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
On those sheets, striped with a repeating pattern of Miss Piggy striking different poses underneath a parasol, Miss Piggy models confidence.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2026
He didn’t hear me call, nor see me flap my parasol in front, and there we were, quite helpless, rattling away, and whirling around corners at a breakneck pace.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Just a few feet away, Bangladeshi street vendors -- also sweating in the heat -- tried to sell off their stock of parasols and pocked-sized electric fans.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Thousands of colorful parasols fluttered in the sea breeze, and people dipped into the waves.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 22, 2024
It’s why taqueros cook under pop-up canopies and the fruteros have their rainbow parasols.
From Slate ● May 22, 2023
Two stood on either side at the front, wielding red parasols, while two with white ones flanked them from behind.
From New York Times ● May 1, 2023
Even though the day was overcast, I had one of Mother’s old parasols shading both me and the Plant, which was snugly ensconced in a small clay flowerpot.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
