# paragraph

/ˈpæɹəˌɡɹæf/ (US) · /pˈæɹəɡɹˌæf/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/paragraph
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. section of text

noun · CEFR A1 · General-service

a group of sentences that starts on a new line and usually talks about one main idea.

For teachers: a distinct section of a written text, typically beginning on a new line and containing a single theme or point.

- Your essay is good, but you should start a new paragraph for each new idea.
- The author uses a single-sentence paragraph to create a dramatic pause before revealing the protagonist's true motivations.

### 2. short news item

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a very short news story or announcement in a newspaper.

For teachers: a brief article, notice, or announcement, typically appearing as a short item in a periodical.

- There was a small paragraph in the local paper about the bake sale.
- The editor inserted a brief paragraph on the third page to acknowledge the correction of the previous week's error.

### 3. memory unit

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a small unit of computer memory equal to 16 bytes.

For teachers: a unit of memory equal to 16 bytes, specifically within x86 real-mode memory segmentation.

- In older computer systems, memory was often managed in paragraphs.
- The programmer had to ensure that the segment register was aligned with a 16-byte paragraph boundary to avoid memory access errors.

### 4. to organize into sections

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to divide a long piece of writing into paragraphs.

For teachers: to divide or arrange text into distinct paragraphs. Transitive — takes a direct object.

- You need to paragraph your work better so it is easier to read.
- The editor spent the afternoon paragraphing the dense manuscript to improve its overall flow and readability for a general audience.

## Examples

- Please write a short paragraph about your family.
- The teacher asked the students to ensure each paragraph in their essay began with a clear topic sentence.
- While the introductory paragraph sets the stage for the argument, the subsequent body paragraphs must provide empirical evidence to support the thesis statement effectively.

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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.