para

para — noun

1. a short, casual word for a paratrooper — that is, a soldier trained to jump from

1.noun
Definition

a short, casual word for a paratrooper — that is, a soldier trained to jump from a plane using a parachute and land in enemy territory.

Example

Marcus served as a para in the British Army for twelve years.

subject + be/serve as + a para

The paras dropped into the valley just before dawn on Tuesday.

plural use: the paras + action verb

Common collocations
  • former para
  • the paras (regiment)
  • served as a para
Synonyms

Usage Note

Informal British military slang; in formal writing or American English, prefer 'paratrooper'. Often used in plural ('the paras') as a casual name for a parachute regiment.

Common Mistakes

He works as a para in the office.
He works as a paralegal in the office.
'para' on its own means a paratrooper, not a general assistant; for legal or medical helpers, use the full word.

2. a short written form of 'paragraph', used mostly by editors, journalists, and st

2.noun
Definition

a short written form of 'paragraph', used mostly by editors, journalists, and students when they want to point to a specific block of text quickly.

Example

Could you cut the third para on page two? It repeats the opening line.

ordinal + para: the third para, the second para

The editor wrote 'rewrite this para' in red ink across Lina's draft.

Common collocations
  • the opening para
  • cut a para
  • the third para
Synonyms
  • paragraph

    the full word; used in all formal contexts

  • passage

    broader; can be one or several paragraphs

Usage Note

Mostly used in newsroom, editorial, and classroom shorthand — rare in finished printed text. Frequently appears with ordinal numbers ('the third para') or instructions ('cut this para', 'rewrite this para').

Common Mistakes

I read a long para about climate change in the textbook.
I read a long paragraph about climate change in the textbook.
in a normal sentence describing what you read, use the full word; 'para' is mainly editing slang.

para — prefix

para — adjective

Word family

  • paratrooper
    noun
  • paragraph
    nounA2
  • paramedic
    nounB2
  • paralegal
    noun
  • paramilitary
    adjective
  • paranormal
    adjective
  • paradox
    nounC1
  • Paralympic
    adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: prefix/3

All four point to a 'less than fully qualified' helper role, but with different angles. 'Para-' (as in paralegal, paramedic) marks a trained worker who does much of the same work as the senior professional, just without the full licence — the focus is on partnership. 'Sub-' (subeditor, subcontractor) stresses rank: the subordinate sits clearly below the boss in a chain of command. 'Semi-' (semi-skilled, semi-professional) measures degree: the work is partly, but not fully, at the higher standard. 'Assistant' is the plain English word, neutral and broad. So you would say 'a paralegal drafted the contract' (trained partner), 'the subeditor cut my piece' (rank-junior editor), 'a semi-professional player' (skill level), and 'a teaching assistant marked the homework' (general helper).

para-sub-semi-assistant ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • para athlete
  • para swimming
  • paramedic
  • paralegal
  • paramilitary group

Phrases

  • former para
  • the third para
  • para sport

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

From Greek 'para' meaning 'beside, alongside, beyond'. Greek thinkers used it to mark anything running next to or past a main thing — hence later words like 'paradox' (an idea sitting next to ordinary logic) and 'paranormal' (events past what science explains). Twentieth-century English picked the prefix up again to coin job titles like 'paramedic' and 'paralegal', stretching 'beside' into 'helping alongside'. The noun senses are short forms: 'para' for paratrooper grew out of British WWII military slang, and 'para' for paragraph comes from newsroom and editor shorthand. The 'para athlete' adjective is the youngest of all, spreading from the Paralympic movement after 2000.