ENGLISH
REFERENCE

para

n. · adj.
US //ˈpɛɹə// para
  1. 1 a paragraph (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    a short way of saying 'paragraph' when talking about a piece of writing.

    a clipping of 'paragraph', commonly used in editing, publishing, and academic contexts.

    Example

    You need to add more detail to the second para of your essay.

    Example

    The editor suggested moving the final para to the introduction to create a more compelling hook for the reader.
  2. 2 a paratrooper (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Military

    a soldier who is trained to jump out of planes using a parachute.

    a clipping of 'paratrooper', referring to military personnel trained in airborne operations.

    Example

    His grandfather was a para during the war and told stories about his first jump.

    Example

    The paras were deployed behind enemy lines under the cover of darkness to secure the bridgehead before the main force arrived.
    • paratrooper
    • airborne soldier
  3. 3 a teaching assistant (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Informal Education

    a person who works in a school to help the main teacher and the students.

    a clipping of 'paraprofessional', specifically referring to an educational assistant who supports classroom teachers.

    Example

    The para helped the students with their reading while the teacher graded papers.

    Example

    The school district announced a budget increase to hire more paras for the special education department next semester.
  4. 4 a person with paraplegia (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Medicine

    a short, informal word for someone who cannot move the lower half of their body.

    a clipping of 'paraplegic', used to refer to an individual with paralysis of the lower body.

    Example

    After the accident, he became a para and started competing in wheelchair sports.

    Example

    The rehabilitation centre provides specialised equipment designed to help paras regain independence in their daily lives.
    • paraplegic
  5. 5 very drunk (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Slang

    a slang word used in some places to mean extremely drunk.

    a slang term meaning highly intoxicated; likely a clipping of 'paralytic'.

    Example

    He was completely para by the end of the wedding party.

    Example

    The group arrived at the club already looking quite para, so the bouncer refused them entry at the door.
  6. 6 Ottoman currency (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    a small unit of money used in the past in countries like Turkey.

    a former small denomination of currency in the Ottoman Empire and later in parts of the Balkans.

    Example

    The old merchant counted out every last para before handing over the silk.

    Example

    Historians noted that the value of the para fluctuated wildly during the final decades of the empire's economic dominance.

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Serbo-Croatian pàra /па̀ра, from Ottoman Turkish پاره (pare, para), from Persian پاره (pâre).

Etymology 2

Clipping of words such as primipara and multipara.

Etymology 3

Clippings.

Etymology 4

Clipping of paralytic.

Etymology 5

Borrowed from Urdu پاره (pāra), from Persian پاره (pâre).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026