par-

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

par- prefix

1. a variant of para-1

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

para-¹ ,prefix. 

1. para- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning "at or to one side of, beside, side by side.'' This meaning is found in such words as: parabola;
   paragraph.
2. para- is also used to mean "beyond, past, by'': paradox.
3. para- also has the meaning "abnormal, defective'': paranoia.
4. para- is also attached to names of jobs or occupations to mean "ancillary, subsidiary, assisting.'' This meaning is found in such words as: paralegal;
   paraprofessional.

Also,[esp. before a vowel,] par-. 
para-³ ,prefix. 

1. para- is taken from parachute, and is used to form compounds that refer to persons or things that use parachutes or that are landed by parachute:
   paratrooper.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

par¹ /pɑr/   n., adj., v., parred, par•ring. 
n. 

1. an equality in value;
   a level of equality:
   [countable* usually singular;

   on/at + a + ~]

   The company saw its gains rise on a par with losses.
2. an average or normal amount, degree, etc.:
   [uncountable] He doesn't look up to par these days; maybe he's tired.
3. Sport [uncountable] the number of golf strokes set as a standard for a certain hole or a complete course.

v. [~ + object]

4. [Golf.] to hit the number of strokes that equals par on (a hole or course):
   parred the last two holes.

Idioms

5. Idioms par for the course, [be + ~] exactly what one might expect;
   typical:
   His nasty behavior is par for the course in that company.

See -par-.
-par-, root. 

1. -par- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "equal;
   a piece.'' This meaning is found in such words as: apart, apartheid, bipartisan, comparable, compare, compartment, counterpart, depart, department, departure, disparage, impart, incomparable, pair, par, parenthesis, part, partial, participle, particle, particular, partisan, partition, party, repartee.

par.,  an abbreviation of:

1. paragraph.
2. parallel.
3. parenthesis.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

par¹  (pär), n., adj., v., parred, par•ring. 
n. 

1. an equality in value or standing;
   a level of equality:
   The gains and the losses are on a par.
2. an average, usual, or normal amount, degree, quality, condition, standard, or the like:
   above par; to feel below par.
3. Sport [Golf.] the number of strokes set as a standard for a specific hole or a complete course.
4. Business [Finance.]
   • the legally established value of the monetary unit of one country in terms of that of another using the same metal as a standard of value.
   • the state of the shares of any business, undertaking, loan, etc., when they may be purchased at the original price (issue par) or at their face value (nominal par). 
5. Business, Business at par, [Finance.] (of a share) purchasable at issue par or nominal par.
6. Idioms par for the course, exactly what one might expect;
   typical:
   They were late again, but that's par for the course.

adj. 

7. average or normal.
8. Business [Finance.] at or pertaining to par:
   the par value of a bond.

v.t. 

9. [Golf.] to equal par on (a hole or course).

• Latin pār equal
• 1615–25

par²  (pär), adj. [Insurance.]

1. Insurance, Business of or pertaining to participating insurance.

• shortening of participating

par-, 

1. var. of para- ¹ before a vowel:
   parenchyma.

par., 

1. paragraph.
2. parallel.
3. parenthesis.
4. parish.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pa•ra¹  (pä rä′, pär′ä), n., pl. -ras, -ra. 

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

• Persian pāra literally, piece
• Turkish
• 1680–90

pa•ra²  (pä rä′, pär′ä), n., pl. -ras, -ra. 

1. Currency an aluminum-bronze coin and monetary unit of Yugoslavia, the 100th part of a dinar.

• Turkish; see para¹
• Serbo-Croatian pàra
• 1905–10

par•a³  (par′ə), adj. [Chem.]

1. Chemistry pertaining to or occupying two positions (1, 4) in the benzene ring that are separated by two carbon atoms. Cf. ortho, meta ².

n. 

2. Chemistry para-dichlorobenzene.

• independent use of para-¹ 1875–80

par•a⁴  (par′ə), n. [Informal.]

1. Informal Terms a paraprofessional.
2. Informal Terms a paratrooper.

• by shortening of words compounded with para-¹, para-³ 1955–60

par•a⁵  (par′ə), n., pl. par•as, par•ae (par′ē). Obstetrics.

1. Medicine 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. Medicine the woman herself. Cf. gravida. 

• extracted from primapara, multipara, etc. 1880–85

Pa•rá  (pä rä′), n. 

1. Place Names an estuary in N Brazil: an arm of the Amazon. 200 mi. (320 km) long;
   40 mi. (65 km) wide.
2. Place Names Belém.
3. See Pará rubber. 

para-¹ ,

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. Abbr.: p-. Cf. meta- (def. 2c), ortho- (def. 2b). See diag. under ortho-. 

Also,[esp. before a vowel,] par-. 

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

para-² ,

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

• Latin parāre to prepare
• Italian para, 3d singular present of parare to prepare against, ward off
• French

para-³ ,

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

Para., 

1. Place Names Paraguay.