para

¹ American  

[pah-rah, pahr-ah] / pɑˈrɑ, ˈpɑr ɑ /

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.

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para ² American  

[pah-rah, pahr-ah] / pɑˈrɑ, ˈpɑr ɑ /

noun

plural

paras, para

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

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para ³ American  

[par-uh] / ˈpær ə /

adjective

Chemistry.

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

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noun

1. para-dichlorobenzene.

para ⁴ American  

[par-uh] / ˈpær ə /

noun

Informal.

1. paraprofessional.

2. paratrooper.

3. paragraph.

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para ⁵ American  

[par-uh] / ˈpær ə /

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.

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Pará ⁶ American  

[pah-rah] / pɑˈrɑ /

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.

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para- ⁷ American  

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-.

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para- ⁸ American  

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

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para- ⁹ American  

1. a combining form extracted from parachute, forming compounds denoting persons or things utilizing parachutes or landed by parachute: paradrop; paradoctor; paraglider; paratrooper .

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Para. ¹⁰ American  

abbreviation

1. Paraguay.

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para- ¹ British  

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

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para ² British  

/ ˈpærə /

noun

1. 1. a soldier in an airborne unit

   2. an airborne unit

2. a paragraph

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Pará ³ British  

/ 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)

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para ⁴ British  

/ ˈpɑːrə /

noun

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

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para- ⁵ British  

combining form

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

   parachute

   parasol

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para ⁶ British  

/ ˈpɑːrɑː /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of para¹

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

Origin of para²

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

Origin of para³

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

Origin of para⁴

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

Origin of para⁵

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

Origin of para-⁷

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

Origin of para-⁸

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