# papa

/ˈpɑˌpə/ (US) · /pɐpˈɑː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/papa
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. father

noun · CEFR A1 · Informal

a name for your father, often used by children or in a warm, informal way.

For teachers: a familiar or childish term of address or reference for a father.

- The little boy ran to the door shouting for his papa when he heard the car.
- In many European cultures, 'papa' remains the standard informal term for a father well into adulthood, unlike the more strictly juvenile 'daddy' in English.

### 2. the letter P

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the word used for the letter 'P' when speaking over the radio or phone to avoid mistakes.

For teachers: the standard code word for the letter P in the NATO/ICAO phonetic alphabet.

- The pilot identified the aircraft tail number as Alpha Bravo Papa.
- To ensure clarity over the crackling radio frequency, the air traffic controller repeated the coordinates using 'Papa' for every instance of the letter P.

Usage: Always capitalized in written transcripts of radio communication.

### 3. Orthodox priest

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a title for a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church.

For teachers: a title or form of address for a parish priest in the Greek Orthodox Church.

- The village papa was highly respected by everyone in the community.
- The papa led the procession through the town square, followed by the elders of the local parish.

## Examples

- I need to call my papa to wish him a happy birthday.
- The young boy ran across the park to meet his papa after school finished for the day.
- In many Mediterranean cultures, the term papa carries a weight of patriarchal respect while maintaining an intimacy that the more formal 'father' lacks in daily conversation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.