Para-

prefix

Definitions

Prefix
  1. 1
    beside, alongside morpheme

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

  2. 2
    to guard against, to avert, to shield from; to provide protection against, defence from idiomatic, morpheme, obsolete
  3. 3
    parachute morpheme
  4. 4
    disability sport morpheme
  5. 5
    between morpheme

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

Show 16 more definitions
  1. 6
    around, surrounding morpheme

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

  2. 7
    adjacent, next to morpheme

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

  3. 8
    near morpheme

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

  4. 9
    opposite of, on the far side of morpheme

    "paracavernous (On the far side of the cavernous sinus)"

  5. 10
    above, over morpheme

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

  6. 11
    across, through, throughout morpheme

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

  7. 12
    beyond morpheme

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

  8. 13
    abnormal morpheme

    "paralgesia (abnormal sensitivity to pain)"

  9. 14
    incorrect morpheme
  10. 15
    false morpheme

    "paradiorthosis (false correction)"

  11. 16
    resembling morpheme

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

  12. 17
    unrecognized, unauthorized, or unsanctioned morpheme

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

  13. 18
    avoiding or avoidant morpheme

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

  14. 19
    In isomeric benzene derivatives, having the two substituents in opposite (1,4) positions (compare ortho- and meta-) morpheme
  15. 20
    related or pertaining to morpheme

    "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)"

  16. 21
    affecting or concerning lower body morpheme

    "paranesthesia (affecting both sides of the lower body), paraballism (ballism affecting both legs)"

Etymology

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

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

Etymology 3

From parachute.

Etymology 4

From Paralympic.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: para