para

¹

[ pah-rah, pahr-ah ]

noun

, plural pa·ras, pa·ra.

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-. Compare meta- ( def 4b ), ortho- ( def 2b ).

para

³

[ pah-rah, pahr-ah ]

noun

, plural pa·ras, pa·ra.

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. Compare ortho, meta ³.

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 ( def ).
2. paratrooper ( def ).
3. paragraph ( def ).

para

⁸

[ par-uh ]

noun

, Obstetrics.

, plural par·as, par·ae [par, -ee].

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 for

1. Paraguay.

para

¹

/ ˈpɑːrə /

noun

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

Pará

²

/ 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-

³

prefix

1. beside; near

   parathyroid

   parameter

2. beyond

   parapsychology

3. resembling

   paramnesia

4. defective; abnormal

   paraesthesia

5. subsidiary to

   paraphysis

6. 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) p- Compare ortho- meta-

   para-cresol

   paradinitrobenzene

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

⁴

/ ˈpɑːrɑː /

noun

1. a New Zealand fern, Marattia salicina , with long heavy fronds Also calledhorseshoe fernking fern

para-

⁵

combining_form

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

   parasol

   parachute

para

⁶

/ ˈpærə /

noun

1. 1. a soldier in an airborne unit
   2. an airborne unit
2. a paragraph

Word History and Origins

Origin of para¹

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

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 para⁵

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

Origin of para⁶

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

Origin of para⁷

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

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

Example Sentences

Twelve sports that featured at Birmingham 2022 - plus the marathon, Para marathon and 10k walk, which are typically key components of the athletics and Para-athletics events - have been cut for Glasgow's staging of the Games.

From BBC

In 2020, Para was jailed for nearly two years, accused of aiding banned separatist groups.

From BBC

In 2023, she won the Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester only days after recovering from respiratory illness related to her asthma that ended with her being admitted to a high-dependency hospital.

From BBC

The Asian Para Games gold medallist is now gearing up for the Paralympics, which begin on 28 August in Paris.

From BBC

Her first major event was at the 2022 Asian Para Games where she won women's individual compound gold and mixed doubles gold.

From BBC