. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology 1
From Ancient Greek παρά (pará, “beside; next to, near, from; against, contrary to”).
Prefix
para-
- beside, alongside
parasite (feed beside), parallel (beside one another), paracapsular (alongside a capsule)
- parallel
paraconformity (parallel conformity), paraxial (parallel to the axis)
- between
paracellular (between cells), paraconule (A conule located between a paracone and a metacone), paradiploid (intermediate between diploid and polyploid)
- around, surrounding
paracortex (surrounding the cortex), paradiapophysis (covering the diapophysis)
- covering
paracolpitis ((outer) covering of inflamed vagina)
- adjacent, next to
paracentral (adjacent to the center), paracaval (adjacent to the vena cava)
- near
paranal (near the anus), parepididymis ((body part) near the epididymis), parethmoid (near the ethmoid bone)
- opposite of, on the far side of
paracavernous (On the far side of the cavernous sinus)
- above, over
paraductal (above the duct), paracoronoid (above the coronoid process), paracondylar (over the condyle)
- across, through, throughout
paracotylar ([extending] across the cotyle), paraesophageal (across the esophagus), paracloacal (through the cloaca), paracostal (through the ribs), paracerebral (throughout the brain)
- beyond
paradox (beyond expectation), paranormal (beyond normal) paraclival (beyond the clivus)
- abnormal
paralgesia (abnormal sensitivity to pain)
- incorrect
- false
- paradiorthosis (false correction)
- resembling
paramilitary (resembling a military), paramylum (resembling amylum (starch))
- unrecognized, unauthorized, or unsanctioned
parastate (an unrecognized state), parabaptism (unauthorized baptism)
- avoiding or avoidant
parenteral (avoiding the intestines), paraconsistent (avoiding consistency)
- (organic chemistry) In isomeric benzene derivatives, having the two substituents in opposite (1,4) positions (compare ortho- and meta-)
- Synonym: p-
- related or pertaining to
paraclinical (relating to things not purely clinical), parabigeminal (related to a pair of organs), parabicanonical (pertaining to a linear system of divisors equivalent to a bicanonical divisor), paracomplex (pertaining to all metric spaces and all CW-complexes)
- affecting or concerning lower body
paranesthesia (affecting both sides of the lower body), paraballism (ballism affecting both legs)
Synonyms
- (between): inter-, dia-
- (around): peri-, circum-
- (adjacent): juxta-
- (near): juxta-, peri-
- (on the far side of): trans-
- (above): epi-, super-, supra-, hyper-
- (across): trans-, dia-, per-
- (beyond): trans-, hyper-, ultra-, out-, extra-, preter-
- (incorrect): mis-, mal-
- (false): pseudo-, mis-
- (resembling): quasi-, -oid, -form/-iform, -esque, -ish, -ly, -some, -y, (restricted to casual registers) -ass, (forms adjectives from nouns only) -like
Derived terms
Translations
having substituents on benzene rings on opposite carbon atoms
Etymology 2
From French para-, from Italian para-, from para, imperative of parare (“to defend, shield, shroud”), from Latin parō (“I prepare”).
Prefix
para-
- (obsolete, not productive) to guard against, to avert, to shield from; to provide protection against, defence from
Derived terms
Related terms
Etymology 3
From parachute.
Prefix
para-
- parachute.
Derived terms
Etymology 4
From Paralympic.
Prefix
para-
- disability sport
Derived terms
See also
References
Anagrams
Bikol Central
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /paɾa/,
- Hyphenation: pa‧ra
Prefix
para- (Basahan spelling ᜉᜍ)
- used in naming any professions
French
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Ancient Greek παρά- (pará-, “beside”).
Prefix
para-
- para- (all senses)
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Via Italian para-, from parare, from Latin parō (“to shield”).
Prefix
para-
- para- (“guarding against”)
Synonyms
Etymology 3
From paralympique (“Paralympic”).
Prefix
para-
- para- (“disability sport”)
Derived terms
Ido
Etymology
Borrowed from English para-, French para-, Italian para-, Spanish para-. Decision no. 105, Progreso III.
Pronunciation
Prefix
para-
- prefix denoting protection against, something to ward off
- para- + pluvo (“rain”) → parapluvo (“umbrella”)
- para- + moskito (“mosquito”) → paramoskito (“mosquito net”)
Derived terms
References
- Progreso III (in Ido), 1910–1911, page 169, 465
Irish
Alternative forms
- parai- (before a slender consonant)
Etymology
From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).
Prefix
para-
- para-
Derived terms
Mutation
Irish mutation
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Radical
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Lenition
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Eclipsis
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para-
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phara-
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bpara-
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Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.
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Further reading
Italian
Etymology
From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).
Prefix
para-
- para- (all senses)
Anagrams
Polish
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).
Pronunciation
Prefix
para-
- para- (resembling)
Derived terms
Further reading
- para- in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).
Prefix
para- (Cyrillic spelling пара-)
- Para-.
- para- + nàuka (“science”) → paranauka (“parascience”)
- para- + nȍrmālno (“normally”) → paranormalno (“paranormal”)
References
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /paɾa/
- Syllabification: pa‧ra-
Prefix
para-
- para-
Derived terms
Further reading
Welsh
Etymology
See English para-, from Ancient Greek παρά (pará).
Pronunciation
Prefix
para-
- para-
- para- + meddyg (“doctor”) → parafeddyg (“paramedic”)
- para- + normal (“normal”) → paranormal (“paranormal”)
- para- + ymatebol (“responsive, reactive”) → paraymatebol (“parasympathetic”)
Derived terms
Mutation
References
R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “para-”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies