ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWord partsPrefixespara
PrefixGreek
para
beside, alongside; beyond
Greek para means beside: a parasite originally ate at another's table; parallel lines run alongside each other; a paraphrase places meaning in different words.
Words built from it
- parasite — An organism that lives on or in a host and feeds at its expense; also, a person who lives off others.
para- (beside) + site (food) - paraphrase — To restate something in different words.
para- (beside) + phrase (expression) - paradox — A statement or situation that seems contradictory but may reveal a truth.
para- (contrary to) + dox (opinion) - parallel — Running alongside at a constant distance; also, similar in important ways.
para- (beside) + allel (one another) - paragraph — A section of writing that develops one topic or point.
para- (beside) + graph (write) - parody — An imitation of a work or style that exaggerates its features for humor.
par- (beside; form of para-) + od (song) + -y (action or result)
Looks like it, but is not
- disparity — Its par comes from Latin par, 'equal.' Disparity is inequality, unrelated to Greek para.
- compare — From Latin com-, 'together,' and par, 'equal,' through comparare. This par is Latin, not Greek.
- paramount — From Old French par amont, 'above.' Its par comes from Latin per, 'through,' not Greek para.
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