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pa•ra

Pronunciation: (pä-rä', pär'ä), [key]
—n.,
—pl. -ras, -ra.
a former copper coin of Turkey, the 40th part of a piaster.

pa•ra

Pronunciation: (pä-rä', pär'ä), [key]
—n.,
—pl. -ras, -ra.
an aluminum-bronze coin and monetary unit of Yugoslavia, the 100th part of a dinar.

par•a

Pronunciation: (par'u), [key]
—adj. Chem.
pertaining to or occupying two positions (1, 4) in the benzene ring that are separated by two carbon atoms. Cf. ortho, meta ².

—n.
para-dichlorobenzene.

par•a

Pronunciation: (par'u), [key]
—n. Informal.
1. a paraprofessional.
2. a paratrooper.

par•a

Pronunciation: (par'u), [key]
—n.,
—pl. par•as, par•aePronunciation: (par'ē). [key] Obstetrics.
1. 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. the woman herself. Cf. gravida.

Pa•rá

Pronunciation: (pä-rä'), [key]
—n.
1. an estuary in N Brazil: an arm of the Amazon. 200 mi. (320 km) long; 40 mi. (65 km) wide.
2. Belém.
3. See Pará rubber.

para-

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. Chem.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-.

para-

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

para-

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