para

¹

[pah-rah, pahr-ah]

noun

plural

paras, para 

1. a coin and monetary unit of Macedonia and Serbia, one 100th of a dinar.

2. formerly, a coin and monetary unit of Yugoslavia, one 100th of a dinar.

para-

²

1. 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 .

2. Chemistry.,  a combining form designating the para (1, 4) position in the benzene ring. p-.

para

³

[pah-rah, pahr-ah]

noun

plural

paras, para 

1. a former copper coin of Turkey, the 40th part of a piaster.

para-

⁴

1. a combining form meaning “guard against,” occurring in loanwords from French, or, via French, from Italian: parachute; parasol .

para

⁵

[par-uh]

adjective

Chemistry.

1. pertaining to or occupying two positions (1, 4) in the benzene ring that are separated by two carbon atoms.

noun

1. para-dichlorobenzene.

para-

⁶

1. 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.

1. paraprofessional.

2. paratrooper.

3. paragraph.

para

⁸

[par-uh]

noun

Obstetrics.

plural

paras, parae 

1. 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.

2. the woman herself.

Pará

⁹

[pah-rah]

noun

1. an estuary in N Brazil: an arm of the Amazon. 200 miles (320 km) long; 40 miles (65 km) wide.

2. Belém.

3. Pará rubber.

Para.

¹⁰

abbreviation

1. Paraguay.

para-

¹

prefix

1. beside; near

   parameter

   parathyroid

2. beyond

   parapsychology

3. resembling

   paramnesia

4. defective; abnormal

   paraesthesia

5. subsidiary to

   paraphysis

6. p-. (usually in italics) denoting that an organic compound contains a benzene ring with substituents attached to atoms that are directly opposite across the ring (the 1,4- positions) Compare ortho- meta-

   paradinitrobenzene

   para-cresol

7. denoting an isomer, polymer, or compound related to a specified compound

   paraldehyde

   paracasein

8. denoting the form of a diatomic substance in which the spins of the two constituent atoms are antiparallel Compare ortho-

   parahydrogen

para

²

/ ˈpærə /

noun

1. 1. a soldier in an airborne unit

   2. an airborne unit

2. a paragraph

Pará

³

/ paˈra /

noun

1. 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)

2. another name for Belém

3. an estuary in N Brazil into which flow the Tocantins River and a branch of the Amazon. Length: about 320 km (200 miles)

para

⁴

/ ˈpɑːrə /

noun

1. a monetary unit of Serbia worth one hundredth of a dinar; formerly a monetary unit of Yugoslavia

para-

⁵

combining form

1. indicating an object that acts as a protection against something

   parachute

   parasol

para

⁶

/ ˈpɑːrɑː /

noun

1. Also called: horseshoe fern.  king fern. a New Zealand fern, Marattia salicina , with long heavy fronds

Word History and Origins

Origin of para-¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from Serbo-Croatian pàra, from Turkish; para ²

Origin of para-²

< Greek para-, combining form representing pará (preposition) beside, alongside of, by, beyond

Origin of para-³

First recorded in 1680–90; from Turkish, from Persian pāra, literally, “piece”

Origin of para-⁴

< French < Italian para, 3rd-person singular present of parare to prepare against, ward off < Latin parāre to prepare

Origin of para-⁵

First recorded in 1875–80; independent use of para- ¹

Origin of para-⁶

By shortening of words compounded with para- ¹, para- ³

Origin of para-⁷

First recorded in 1880–85; extracted from primipara ( def. ), multipara, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of para-¹

from Greek para (prep) alongside, beyond

Origin of para-²

C17: Serbo-Croat, via Turkish from Persian pārah piece, portion

Origin of para-³

via French from Italian para-, from parare to defend, shield against, ultimately from Latin parāre to prepare

Origin of para-⁴

Māori

Example Sentences

He fretted over “small checks” he got for “only” eight hours of work and once, with no money to spare, simply wrote: “Ni para el periodico.”

From Los Angeles Times

“In Spanish we have a saying, ‘El sol sale para todos,’ or the sun rises for everybody.

From Los Angeles Times

“This is a momentous occasion for the city of Los Angeles,” para swimmer and Inglewood native Jamal Hill said in an interview with The Times.

From Los Angeles Times

She tried several wheelchair sports after sustaining those injuries in 2017, ultimately discovering para ice hockey, which takes her all over the world competing.

From BBC

Now, aged 24, she is one of India's top middle distance para athletes.

From BBC