prefix
Meaning 1
beside, alongside
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- → parallel
- para- → parasite
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
para-
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpæɹə/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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General-American: /ˈpɛɹə/
prefix
Meaning 2
beside, alongside
parallel
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + conformity → paraconformity
- para- + axial → paraxial
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 3
between
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dia-, inter-, cellular, paracellular, conule, paraconule
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 4
around, surrounding
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + cortex → paracortex
- para- + diapophysis → paradiapophysis
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: circum-, peri-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 5
around, surrounding
covering
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + colpitis → paracolpitis
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: circum-, peri-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 6
adjacent, next to
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + central → paracentral
- para- + caval → paracaval
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: juxta-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 7
near
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + anal → paranal
- para- + epididymis → parepididymis
- para- + ethmoid → parethmoid
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: juxta-, peri-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 8
opposite of, on the far side of
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + cavernous → paracavernous
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: trans-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 9
above, over
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + ductal → paraductal
- para- + coronoid → paracoronoid
- para- + condylar → paracondylar
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: epi-, hyper-, super-, supra-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 10
across, through, throughout
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + cerebral → paracerebral
- para- + cloacal → paracloacal
- para- + cotylar → paracotylar
- para- + coastal → paracoastal
- para- + esophageal → paraesophageal
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dia-, per-, trans-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 11
beyond
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- → paradox (literally “beyond expectation”)
- para- + normal → paranormal
- para- + clival → paraclival
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 12
abnormal
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + algesia → paralgesia
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 13
incorrect
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mis-, mal-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 14
false
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + diorthosis → paradiorthosis
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mis-, pseudo-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 15
resembling
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + amylum → paraamylum
- para- + military → paramilitary
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: quasi-, -esque, -form, -ish, -ly, -oid, -some, -y
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 16
unrecognized, unauthorized, or unsanctioned
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + state → parastate
- para- + baptism → parabaptism
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 17
avoiding or avoidant
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + enteral → parenteral
- para- + consistent → paraconsistent
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 18
In isomeric benzene derivatives, having the two substituents in opposite (1,4) positions (compare ortho- and meta-)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: p-
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 19
related or pertaining to
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + bicanonical → parabicanonical
- para- + bigeminal → parabigeminal
- para- + clinical → paraclinical
- para- + complex → paracomplex
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 20
affecting or concerning lower body
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + anesthesia → paranesthesia
- para- + ballism → paraballism
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 21
to guard against, to avert, to shield from; to provide protection against, defence from
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic, morpheme, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 22
Parachute
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- para- + skiing → paraskiing
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
prefix
Meaning 23
disability sport
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh2- Proto-Hellenic *pərai Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ́ (părắ) Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ- (pără-)der. English para- From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-, “beside, next to”).
From French para-, from Italian para-, from para, imperative of parare (“to defend, shield, shroud”), from Latin parō (“to prepare”).
From parachute.
From Paralympic.
Across languages
Translations
11 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Galician: para- — above, beyond
- Greek: παρα- (para-) — above, beyond
- Japanese: 超 (chō) — above, beyond
- Korean: 초(超)- (cho-) — above, beyond
- Persian: پیرا (pirâ-) — above, beyond
- Polish: ponad- — above, beyond
- Spanish: para- — above, beyond
- Chinese Mandarin: 對 /对 (duì) — having substituents on benzene rings on opposite carbon atoms
- Czech: para- — having substituents on benzene rings on opposite carbon atoms
- Danish: para- — having substituents on benzene rings on opposite carbon atoms
- Polish: para- — having substituents on benzene rings on opposite carbon atoms