A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

pantaloons --- 1661, "kind of tights" (originally a Fr. fashion and execrated as such by late 17c. Eng. writers), associated with Pantaloun (1590), silly old man character in It. comedy who wore tight trousers over his skinny legs, from It. Pantalone, originally San Pantaleone, Christian martyr, a popular saint in Venice (Pantaleone in the comedies represents the Venetian). The name is of Gk. origin and means "all-compassionate." Applied to tight long trousers (replacing knee-breeches) by 1798; pants is a shortened form first recorded 1840.

Panthalassa --- universal sea, such as that which surrounded Pangaea, 1893, from pan- "all" + Gk. thalassa "sea," a word from a lost pre-Gk. Mediterranean language.

pantheist --- belief that God and the universe are identical, 1705, coined by Ir. deist John Toland (1670-1722), from Gk. pan- "all" + theos "god" (see Thea). Toland's word was borrowed into Fr., which from it formed panthéisme (1712) which returned to Eng. as pantheism "the doctrine that all is god" in 1732 (no evidence that Toland used pantheism). Gk. pantheios meant "common to all gods" (see pantheon). Other words used at various times for similar notions include panentheism, "philosophy founded on the notion that all things are in God" (1874), from Ger. (1828), coined by Karl Christian Friedrich Krause (1781-1832).

pantheon --- c.1300, from Pantheon, temple for all the gods, built in Rome c.25 B.C.E. by Agrippa (since 609 C.E. made into the Christian church of Santa Maria Rotonda), from Gk. Pantheion (hieron) "(shrine) of all the gods," from pantheion, neut. of pantheios, from pan- "all" + theios "of or for the gods," from theos "god" (see Thea). Sense of any group of exalted persons is first found 1596.

panther --- c.1220, from O.Fr. pantere (12c.), from L. panthera, from Gk. panther, probably of Oriental origin, cf. Skt. pundarikam "tiger," probably lit. "the yellowish animal," from pandarah "whitish-yellow." Folk etymology derivation from Gk. pan- "all" + ther "beast" led to many curious fables.

panties --- 1845, "drawers for men" (derogatory), dim. of pants; meaning "underpants for women or children" first recorded 1908. Pantyhose first recorded 1963. Pantywaist "weak or effeminate male" is 1936, from a type of child's garment with short pants that buttoned to the waist of a shirt. Panty raid first attested 1952.

pantisocracy --- ideal Utopian community in which all have equal rights, 1794, lit. "equal rule of all," from Gk. pant-, comb. form of pantos, gen. of pan "all" + isocratia "equality of power."

pantomime --- 1615, "mime actor," from L. pantomimus "mime, dancer," from Gk. pantomimos "actor," lit. "imitator of all," from panto- (gen. of pan) "all" + mimos "imitator." Meaning "drama or play without words" first recorded 1735. The Eng. dramatic performances so called, usually at Christmas and with words and songs and stock characters, are attested by this name from 1739; said to have originated c.1717.

pantothenic --- denoting a B-complex vitamin acid, 1933, from Gk. pantothen "from all quarters, on every side," from panto-, comb. form of pantos, gen. of pan "all." So called because it was found in so many sources.

pantry --- c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. panetrie (O.Fr. paneterie) "bread room," from M.L. panataria "office or room of a servant who has charge of food" (lit. "bread"), from L. panis "bread" (see food). Sense in Eng. has evolved so far that its roots in "bread" are no longer felt.

pants --- 1840, see pantaloons. Colloquial sing. pant is attested from 1893. To wear the pants "be the dominant member of a household" is first attested 1931. To do something by the seat of (one's) pants "by human instinct" is from 1942, originally of pilots, perhaps with some notion of being able to sense the condition and situation of the plane by engine vibrations, etc.

panzer --- 1940, shortened form of Ger. Panzerdivision "armored unit," from Panzer "tank," lit. "armor," from M.H.G. panzier, from O.Fr. panciere "armor for the belly," from pance "belly," from L. pantex (gen. panticis) "belly" (see paunch).

pap (1) --- soft food for infants, c.1430, from O.Fr. papa "watered gruel," from L. pappa, a widespread word in children's language for "food" (e.g. M.H.G., Du. pap, Ger. Pappe), imitative of an infant's noise when hungry; possibly associated with pap (2) (q.v.). Meaning "over-simplified idea" first recorded 1548.

pap (2) --- nipple of a woman's breast, c.1200, first attested in Northern and Midlands writing, probably from a Scand. source (not recorded in O.N., but cf. dial. Swed. pappe), from PIE imitative base *pap- "to swell" (cf. L. papilla "nipple," papula "a swelling, pimple;" Lith. papas "nipple").

Pap test --- 1963, short for Papanicolaou (1947) in ref. to George Nicholas Papanicolaou (1883-1962), Gk.-born U.S. anatomist who developed the technique of examining secreted cells to test for cancer.

papa --- father, 1681, from Fr. papa, from L. papa, originally a child's word, cf. Gk. pappa (voc.) "o father," pappas "father," pappos "grandfather." The native word is daddy; first use of papa was in courtly speech, as a continental affectation, not used by common folk until late 18c.

papacy --- 1393, from M.L. papatia "papal office," from L.L. papa "pope" (see pope).

paparazzi --- 1961, from It. Paparazzo (pl. paparazzi) surname of the freelance photographer in Federico Fellini's 1959 film "La Dolce Vita." The name itself is of no special significance; it is said to be a common one in Calabria, and Fellini is said to have borrowed it from a travel book, "By the Ionian Sea," in which occurs the name of hotel owner Coriolano Paparazzo.

papaw --- 1624, variant of papaya (q.v.), used from 1760 to designate the papaw tree.

papaya --- 1598 for fruit, 1613 for tree, from Sp., probably from Arawakan (W.Indies) papaya.

paper --- 1341, from Anglo-Fr. paper, from O.Fr. papier, from L. papyrus "paper, paper made of papyrus stalks" (see papyrus). As shortened form of newspaper, first attested 1642. In plural, "collection of papers to establish one's identity, credentials, etc.," it is attested from 1685. The verb meaning "to decorate a room with paper hangings" is attested from 1774. Paperback is from 1899. Paperless is attested from 1971. Paper chase is British slang from 1932. Paper tiger (1952) translates Chinese tsuh lao fu, popularized by Mao Zedong.

papier-mache --- 1753, from Fr. papier-mâché, lit. "chewed paper," from O.Fr. papier "paper" + mâché "compressed, mashed," from pp. of mâcher, lit. "to chew," from L.L. masticare "masticate."

papist --- 1534, "adherent of the Pope," from M.Fr. papiste, from papa "Pope," from Church L. papa (see pope).

papoose --- 1634, from Narragansett (Algonquian) papoos "child," lit. "very young."

paprika --- 1896, from Hungarian paprika, a dim. from Serbo-Croatian papar "pepper," from L. piper or Mod.Gk. piperi (see pepper). A condiment made from a New World plant, grown by the Turks at Buda from 1529.

Papua --- race that inhabits New Guinea, 1619, from Malay papuah "frizzled."

papyrus --- c.1395, from L. papyrus "the paper plant, paper made from it," from Gk. papyros "any plant of the paper plant genus," said to be of Egyptian origin. Proper plural is papyri.

par --- 1622, "equality," also "value of one currency in terms of another," from L. par "equal, that which is equal, equality" (see pair). Meaning "average or usual amount" is first attested 1767. Golf usage is first attested 1898. Figurative use of par for the course is from 1947.

para- --- prefix meaning "alongside, beyond, altered, contrary," from Gk. para- from para (prep.) "beside, near, from, against, contrary to," cognate with Skt. para "beyond;" Hitt. para "on, forth;" L. pro "before, for, in favor of," per- "through;" Goth. faur "along;" O.E. for- "off, away" (see fore).

parable --- c.1325, "saying or story in which something is expressed in terms of something else," from O.Fr. parable, from L. parabola "comparison," from Gk. parabole "a comparison, parable," lit. "a throwing beside," from para- "alongside" + bole "a throwing, casting," related to ballein "to throw." Replaced O.E. bispell. In V.L. parabola took on the meaning "word," hence It. parlare, Fr. parler "to speak."

parabola --- 1579, from Gk. parabole "parabola, application" (see parable), so called by Apollonius of Perga c.210 B.C.E. because it is produced by "application" of a given area to a given straight line. It had a different sense in Pythagorean geometry.

parachute --- 1785, from Fr. parachute, lit. "that which protects against a fall," hybrid coined by Fr. aeronaut François Blanchard (1753-1809) from para- "defense against" (from L. parare "prepare") + chute "a fall" (see chute). The verb is attested from 1807.

parade --- 1656, "a show of bravado," also "an assembly of troops for inspections," from Fr. parade "display, show, military parade," from M.Fr. parade (15c.), or from It. parate "a warding or defending, a garish setting forth," or Sp. parada "a staying or stopping," all from V.L. *parata, from L. parer "arrange, prepare, adorn" (see pare), which developed widespread senses in Romanic derivatives. Non-military sense of "march, procession" is first recorded 1673. The verb is from 1686.

paradigm --- 1483, from L.L. paradigma "pattern, example," especially in grammar, from Gk. paradeigma "pattern, model," from paradeiknynai "exhibit, represent," lit. "show side by side," from para- "beside" + deiknynai "to show" (cognate with L. dicere "to show;" (see diction).

paradise --- c.1175, "Garden of Eden," from O.Fr. paradis, from L.L. paradisus, from Gk. paradeisos "park, paradise, Garden of Eden," from an Iranian source, cf. Avestan pairidaeza "enclosure, park" (Mod.Pers. and Arabic firdaus "garden, paradise"), compound of pairi- "around" + diz "to make, form (a wall)." The first element is cognate with Gk. peri- "around, about" (see peri-), the second is from PIE base *dheigh- "to form, build" (see dough). The Gk. word, originally used for an orchard or hunting park in Persia, was used in Septuagint to mean "Garden of Eden," and in New Testament translations of Luke xxiii.43 to mean "heaven" (a sense attested in Eng. from c.1205). Meaning "place like or compared to Paradise" is from c.1300.

paradox --- 1540, from L. paradoxum "paradox, statement seemingly absurd yet really true," from Gk. paradoxon, from neut. of adj. paradoxos "contrary to expectation, incredible," from para- "contrary to" + doxa "opinion."

paraffin --- 1838, from Ger. Paraffin, coined c.1830 by Ger. chemist Karl von Reichenbach (1788-1869) from L. parum "not very, too little" + affinis "associated with." So called because paraffin is chemically not closely related to other substances.

paragon --- 1548, from M.Fr. paragon "a model, pattern of excellence" (15c.), from It. paragone, originally "touchstone to test gold" (c.1324), from paragonare "to test on a touchstone, compare," from Gk. parakonan "to sharpen, whet," from para- "on the side" + akone "whetstone," from PIE base *ak- "be pointed."

paragraph --- 1490, from M.Fr. paragraphe (13c., O.Fr. paragrafe), from M.L. paragraphus "sign for start of a new section of discourse" (the sign looked something like a stylized letter -P-), from Gk. paragraphos "short stroke in the margin marking a break in sense," also "a passage so marked," lit. "anything written beside," from paragraphein "write by the side," from para- "beside" + graphein "to write."

parakeet --- 1621, from Sp. perquito; earlier Eng. form parroket (1581) is from M.Fr. paroquet, from O.Fr. paroquet (14c.), which is said by etymologists of Fr. to be from It. parrocchetto, lit. "little priest," from parroco "parish priest," from Church L. parochus (see parish), or parrucchetto, dim. of parrucca "peruke, periwig," in ref. to the head plumage. The Sp. form, meanwhile, is sometimes said to be a dim. of Perico, familiar form of Pedro "Peter," and the O.Fr. word is likewise perhaps from or infl. by a dim. of Pierre "Peter." The relations of the Sp. and It. forms, and the influence of folk etymology on either or both, are uncertain.

paralegal (n.) --- 1972, from para- (q.v.) + legal (assistant).

parallax --- 1580, from M.Fr. parallaxe (1557), from Gk. parallaxis "change, alteration, inclination of two lines meeting at an angle," from parallassein "to alter, make things alternate," from para- "beside" + allassein "to change," from allos "other" (see alias).

parallel (adj.) --- 1549, from M.Fr. parallèle, from L. parallelus, from Gk. parallelos "parallel," from para allelois "beside one another," from para "beside" + allelois "each other," from allos "other" (see alias). The verb is first recorded 1598. Parallel bars as gymnastics apparatus are recorded from 1868.

paralysis --- 1525, from Gk. paralysis, lit. "loosening," from paralyein "disable, enfeeble," from para- "beside" + lyein "loosen, untie," cognate with L. luere "to loose, release, atone for, expiate," O.E. for-leosan "to lose, destroy," losian "to perish, be lost" (see lose). Earlier form was paralysie (c.1380, see palsy). O.E. equivalent was lyft adl (see left (adj.)). Paralyze is 1804, from Fr. paralyser (16c.), from O.Fr. paralisie "paralysis," from L. paralysis, from Gk. Paralytic (adj.) is first attested c.1300; the noun is from c.1380.

Paramecium --- 1752, Mod.L. Paramecium, the genus name, coined from Gk. paramekes "oblong, oval," from para- "on one side" + mekos "length," related to makros "long" (see macro-).

paramedic (n.) --- medical technician, 1970, back-formation from paramedical (adj.) "related to medicine in an auxiliary capacity" (1921), from para- + medical. The meaning "medical corpsman who parachutes" is 1951 from para(chute) + medic.

parameter --- 1656, from Mod.L. parameter (1631), from Gk. para- "beside, subsidiary" + metron "measure" (see meter (2)). A geometry term until 1920s when it yielded sense of "measurable factor which helps to define a particular system" (1927). Common modern meaning (infl. by perimeter) of "boundary, limit, characteristic factor" is from 1950s.

paramilitary --- 1935, from para- (q.v.) + military.

paramount --- 1531, from Anglo-Fr. paramont "above" (in place, order, degree), 1339, from O.Fr. par "by" + amont "up," from a mont "upward." The whole from L. per ad montem, lit. "to the hill."

paramour --- c.1300, noun use of adv. phrase par amour (c.1300) "passionately, with strong love or desire," from Anglo-Fr. par amour, from acc. of amor "love." Originally a term for Christ (by women) or the Virgin Mary (by men), it came to mean "darling, sweetheart" (c.1350) and "mistress, concubine, clandestine lover" (c.1386).

paranoia --- mental disorder characterized by systematized delusions, 1891 (earlier paranoea 1811), from Gk. paranoia "mental derangement, madness," from paranoos "mentally ill, insane," from para- "beside, beyond" + noos "mind." Paranoid (adj.) is first attested 1904, from paranoia + Gk. -oeides "like," from eidos "form, shape" (see -oid). The noun meaning "a paranoid person" is attested from 1922.

paranormal --- 1920, from para- (q.v.) + normal.

parapet --- 1590, from M.Fr. parapet "breastwork," from It. parapetto, from para- "defense" (from L. parare "prepare") + petto "breast," from L. pectus (see pectoral).

paraphernalia --- 1651, "a woman's property besides her dowry," from M.L. paraphernalia (short for paraphernalia bona "paraphernal goods"), neut. pl. of paraphernalis (adj.), from L.L. parapherna "a woman's property besides her dowry," from Gk. parapherna, neut. pl., from para- "beside" + pherne "dowry," related to pherein "to carry" (see infer). Meaning "equipment, apparatus" is first attested 1791, from notion of odds and ends.

paraphilia --- 1925, in translation of work by Viennese-born psychotherapist Wilhelm Stekel (1868-1940), who coined it from Gk. para- "beside, aside" + philos "loving." Used in Eng. translations of his works; not in widespread use until 1950s. first used in "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" in 1980, as a morally neutral and more dignified label than perversion, to which it is nonetheless etymologically similar.

paraphrase (n.) --- 1548, from M.Fr. paraphrase (1525), from L. paraphrasis "a paraphrase," from Gk. paraphrasis, from paraphrazein "to tell in other words," from para- "beside" + phrazein "to tell" (see phrase). The verb is 1606, from the noun.

paraplegia --- paralysis of the lower half of the body, 1657, coined in Mod.L. from Ionic Gk. paraplegie "paralysis of one side of the body," from paraplessein "strike at the side," paraplessesthai "be stricken on one side," from para- "beside" + plessein "to strike" (see plague). The adj. paraplegic is attested from c.1822; the noun meaning "paraplegic person" is first recorded 1890. An earlier adj. form was paraplectic (1661).

parapraxis --- faulty action, blunder, 1912, from Mod.L., from para- "beside" + Gk. praxis "a doing, transaction, business," from stem of prattein "to do." In psychology, a minor error held to reveal a subconscious motive.

parapsychology --- 1924, from para- "beside" + psychology (q.v.).

paraquat --- quick-acting herbicide, 1961, from para- (q.v.) + quat(ernary).

parasail --- from para(chute) + sail.

parasite --- 1539, "a hanger-on, a toady, "person who lives on others," from M.Fr. parasite, from L. parasitus, from Gk. parasitos "person who eats at the table of another," from n. use of adj. meaning "feeding beside," from para- "beside" + sitos "food," of unknown origin. Scientific meaning "animal or plant that lives on others" is first recorded 1646 (implied in parasitical).

parasol --- 1616, from Fr. parasol (1580), from It. parasole, lit. "protection from the sun," from para- "defense against" (from verb parere "to ward off") + sole "sun," from L. solem (nom. sol).

paratransit --- 1973, from para- (q.v.) + transit.

paratrooper --- 1941, from para(chute) + trooper. The collective noun paratroops is first recorded 1940. Earliest ref. is to the German invaders who were expected to drop on England.

parboil --- 1381, from O.Fr. parboillir, from M.L. perbullire "to boil thoroughly," from L. per "through, thoroughly" + bullire "to boil" (see boil (v.)). Main modern meaning "boil partially" (c.1440) is by mistaken association of the prefix with part.

parcel --- c.1303, "part" (sense preserved in phrase parcel of land), from O.Fr. parcelle "small piece, particle, parcel," from V.L. *particella, dim. of L. particula, dim. of pars (gen. partis) "part" (see part). Meaning "package" is first recorded c.1645. The verb meaning "to divide into small portions" is from 1584.

parch --- 1246, possibly from M.E. perchen, var. of perishen "to perish."

parcheesi --- 1800, from Hindi pachisi, from pachis "twenty-five" (highest throw of the dice), from Skt. panca "five" + vinsati-s "twenty." Modern spelling, with intrusive -r- enshrined in trademark name, 1892.

parchment --- c.1300, from O.Fr. perchemin (O.N.Fr. parcamin), from L.L. pergamenum "parchment," from Late Gk. pergamenon "of Pergamon," in allusion to Pergamon "Pergamum" (modern Bergama), city in Mysia in Asia Minor where it was supposedly first adopted as a substitute for papyrus, 2c. B.C.E. Possibly infl. in V.L. by L. parthica (pellis) "Parthian (leather)." Alt. in M.E. by confusion with nouns in -ent.

pard (1) --- archaic form of leopard, c.1300, from L. pardus, from Gk. pardos "male panther," from the same source (probably Iranian) as Skt. prdaku-s "leopard, tiger, snake," and Pers. palang "panther."

pard (2) --- 1850, dial. shortening of pardener, 1795 (see partner).

pardon (n.) --- c.1290, "papal indulgence," from O.Fr. pardonner "to grant, forgive," from V.L. *perdonare "to give wholeheartedly, to remit," from L. per- "through, thoroughly" + donare "give, present." Meaning "passing over an offense without punishment is from c.1300; strictly legal sense is from 1328, in Anglo-Fr. Weaker sense of "excuse for a minor fault" is attested from 1548. The verb is first recorded c.1430.

pare --- to trim by cutting close, c.1320, from O.Fr. parer "arrange, prepare, trim," from L. parare "make ready," related to parere "produce, bring forth, give birth to," from PIE base *per- "to bring forward, bring forth" (cf. Lith. pariu "to brood," Gk. poris "calf, bull," O.H.G. farro, Ger. Farre "bullock," O.E. fearr "bull," Skt. prthukah "child, calf, young of an animal," Czech spratek "brat, urchin, premature calf"). Generalized meaning "to reduce something little by little" is from 1530.

paregoric (n.) --- medicine that soothes pain, 1704, from adj. (1684) "soothing," from L.L. paregoricus, from Gk. paregorikos "soothing, encouraging, consoling," from paregorein "speak soothingly to," from paregoros "consoling," from para- "beside" + root of agoreuein "speak in public," from agora "public assembly."

parent --- 1185, from O.Fr. parent (11c.), from L. parentem (nom. parens) "father or mother, ancestor," noun use of prp. of parere "bring forth, give birth to, produce," from PIE base *per- "to bring forth" (see pare). Began to replace native elder after c.1500. The verb is attested from 1663. The verbal noun parenting is first recorded 1959 (earlier term had been parentcraft, 1930).

parenthesis --- 1550, "words, clauses, etc. inserted into a sentence," from M.Fr. parenthèse, from L.L. parenthesis "addition of a letter to a syllable in a word," from Gk. parenthesis, lit. "a putting in beside," from parentithenai "put in beside," from para- "beside" + en- "in" + tithenai "put, place," from PIE base *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious). Extension of the word to the curved brackets that indicate the words inserted is from 1715.

parfait --- kind of frozen dessert, 1894, from Fr., lit. "perfect" (see perfect).

parhelion --- 1647, from Gk. parelion "a mock sun," from para- "beside" + helios "sun" (see sol).

pariah --- 1613, from Port. paria or directly from Tamil paraiyar, pl. of paraiyan "drummer" (at festivals, the hereditary duty of members of the largest of the lower castes of southern India), from parai "large festival drum." Especially numerous at Madras, where its members supplied most of the domestics in European service. Applied by Hindus and Europeans to members of any low Hindu caste and even to outcastes. Extended meaning "social outcast" is first attested 1819.

parietal --- c.1425, "pertaining to the walls of a cavity in the body," from L.L. parietalis "of walls," from L. paries (gen. parietis) "wall," of unknown origin.

pari-mutuel --- 1881, from Fr. pari-mutuel "mutual wager," from pari "wager" (from parier "to bet," from L. pariare "to settle a debt," lit. "to make equal," from par, gen. paris, "equal") + mutuel "mutual," from L. mutuus (see mutual).

Paris --- from Gallo-L. Lutetia Parisorum (in L.L. also Parisii), name of a fortified town of the Gaulish tribe of the Parisii, who had a capital there; lit. "Parisian swamps" (cf. O.Ir. loth "dirt," Welsh lludedic "muddy, slimy"). The tribal name is of unknown origin, but traditionally derived from a Celtic par "boat" (cf. Gk. baris; see barge), hence the ship on the city's coat of arms.

parish --- c.1290, from Anglo-Fr. paroche (1292), parosse (c.1075), from O.Fr. paroisse, from L.L. parochia "a diocese," alt. of Late Gk. paroikia "a diocese or parish," from paroikos "a sojourner" (in Christian writers), in classical Gk. "neighbor," from para- "near" + oikos "house" (see villa). Sense development unclear, perhaps from "sojourner" as epithet of early Christians as spiritual sojourners in the material world. In early Church writing the word was used in a more general sense than Gk. diokesis, though by 13c. they were synonymous. Replaced O.E. preostscyr, lit. "priest-shire." Parishioner is attested from 1471, outlasting its older doublet parochian (c.1225), which was obs. by 1700.

parity --- 1572, "equality of rank or status," from M.Fr. parité, from L.L. paritas "equality," from L. adj. par (gen. paris) "equal" (see pair (n.)). Meaning "condition in which adversaries have equal resources" is from 1955, originally in ref. to the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.