para-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "para"

English

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-, “beside, next to”).

Prefix

para-

1. beside, alongside

   parasite (feed beside), parallel (beside one another), paracapsular (alongside a capsule)

   1. parallel

      paraconformity (parallel conformity), paraxial (parallel to the axis)

2. between

   paracellular (between cells), paraconule (A conule located between a paracone and a metacone), paradiploid (intermediate between diploid and polyploid)

3. around, surrounding

   paracortex (surrounding the cortex), paradiapophysis (covering the diapophysis)

   1. covering

      paracolpitis ((outer) covering of inflamed vagina)

4. adjacent, next to

   paracentral (adjacent to the center), paracaval (adjacent to the vena cava)

5. near

   paranal (near the anus), parepididymis ((body part) near the epididymis), parethmoid (near the ethmoid bone)

6. opposite of, on the far side of

   paracavernous (On the far side of the cavernous sinus)

7. above, over

   paraductal (above the duct), paracoronoid (above the coronoid process), paracondylar (over the condyle)

8. across, through, throughout

   paracotylar ([extending] across the cotyle), paraesophageal (across the esophagus), paracloacal (through the cloaca), paracostal (through the ribs), paracerebral (throughout the brain)

9. beyond

   paradox (beyond expectation), paranormal (beyond normal) paraclival (beyond the clivus)

10. abnormal

    paralgesia (abnormal sensitivity to pain)

11. incorrect
12. false

    paradiorthosis (false correction)

13. resembling

    paramilitary (resembling a military), paramylum (resembling amylum (starch))

14. unrecognized, unauthorized, or unsanctioned

    parastate (an unrecognized state), parabaptism (unauthorized baptism)

15. avoiding or avoidant

    parenteral (avoiding the intestines), paraconsistent (avoiding consistency)

16. (organic chemistry) In isomeric benzene derivatives, having the two substituents in opposite (1,4) positions (compare ortho- and meta-)

    Synonym: p-

17. 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)

18. 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

Related terms

terms derived from παρά (beside, abnormal, resembling, chem.)

• P-
• parabola
• paradigm
• paradox
• parallel
• parallelogram
• paramedic
• paramilitary
• parasite
• paratext
• paravirtualization

 

terms derived from παρά (above, beyond)

• parabiology
• paranormal
• parapsychology

 

Translations

above, beyond

• Greek: παρα- (el) (para-)
• Japanese: 超 (ja) (ちょう, chō)
• Korean: 초(超) (cho-)
• Persian: پیرا (fa) (pirâ-)
• Spanish: para- (es)

having substituents on benzene rings on opposite carbon atoms

• Czech: para-
• Danish: para-

Etymology 2

From French para-, from Italian para-, from para, imperative of parare (“to defend, shield, shroud”), from Latin parō (“I prepare”).

Prefix

para-

1. (obsolete, not productive) to guard against, to avert, to shield from; to provide protection against, defence from

Derived terms

• para-bore (jest, nonce word), protection against bores
• paragrandine
• paravane

Related terms

terms related to para-, but not formed in English

• parachute
• parados
• paragrele
• parapet
• parasol
• paravent

 

Etymology 3

From parachute.

Prefix

para-

1. parachute.

Derived terms

terms derived from para- (parachute)

• parabrake
• paracord
• paradiver
• paradoctor
• paradrop
• parafoil
• parafrag bomb
• paraglider
• parajump
• parajute
• parakiting
• parapants
• paraplane
• parasheet
• paraski
• paraspotter
• paratrooper

 

Etymology 4

From Paralympic.

Prefix

para-

1. disability sport

Derived terms

Paralympic sport

• para-archery
• para-athlete / parathlete
• paracanoe / para-canoe
• paracycling / para-cycling
• Paralympian / Paralympiad / Paralympics / Paralympic Games
• paraskiing / para nordic skiing
• parasport / parasports / para-sport / para-sports
• paratriathlon

 

See also

English terms prefixed with para-

Anagrams

• paar, Raap, ARPA, apar, ARAP, Rapa, AARP, Paar, APAR

Bikol Central

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paɾa/ [pa.ɾa]
• Hyphenation: pa‧ra

Prefix

para- (Basahan spelling ᜉᜍ)

1. used in naming any professions

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pa.ʁa/

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-, “beside”).

Prefix

para-

1. para- (all senses)

Derived terms

• para-hockey sur glace

Etymology 2

Via Italian para-, from parare, from Latin parō (“to shield”).

Prefix

para-

1. para- (“guarding against”)

Synonyms

• garde- (e.g. garde-boue, garde-bras)
• pare- (e.g. pare-chocs, pare-soleil)

Etymology 3

From paralympique (“Paralympic”).

Prefix

para-

1. para- (“disability sport”)

Derived terms

• paracyclisme
• paranatation

 

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from English para-, French para-, Italian para-, Spanish para-. Decision no. 105, Progreso III.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpara/

Prefix

para-

1. prefix denoting protection against, something to ward off

   ‎para- + ‎pluvo (“rain”) → ‎parapluvo (“umbrella”)

   ‎para- + ‎moskito (“mosquito”) → ‎paramoskito (“mosquito net”)

Derived terms

Ido terms prefixed with para-

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-

1. para-

Derived terms

Irish terms prefixed with para-

Mutation

Mutated forms of para-

radical	lenition	eclipsis
para-	phara-	bpara-

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “para(i)-”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Italian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).

Prefix

para-

1. para- (all senses)

Anagrams

• apar, apra, arpa, rapa

Polish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pa.ra/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ara
• Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
• Homophones: para, Para

Prefix

para-

1. para- (resembling)

Derived terms

Polish terms prefixed with para-

Further reading

• para- in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).

Prefix

para- (Cyrillic spelling пара-)

1. Para-.

   ‎para- + ‎nàuka (“science”) → ‎paranauka (“parascience”)

   ‎para- + ‎nȍrmālno (“normally”) → ‎paranormalno (“paranormal”)

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paɾa/ [pa.ɾa]
• Syllabification: pa‧ra-

Prefix

para-

1. para-

Derived terms

• Spanish terms prefixed with para-

Further reading

• “para-”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28

Welsh

Etymology

See English para-, from Ancient Greek παρα- (para-).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌpara/

Prefix

para-

1. para-

   ‎para- + ‎meddyg (“doctor”) → ‎parafeddyg (“paramedic”)

   ‎para- + ‎normal (“normal”) → ‎paranormal (“paranormal”)

   ‎para- + ‎ymatebol (“responsive, reactive”) → ‎paraymatebol (“parasympathetic”)

Derived terms

Welsh terms prefixed with para-

Mutation

Mutated forms of para-

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
para-	bara-	mhara-	phara-

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

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