paragraph

/ˈpæɹəɡˌɹæf/PA-ruh-graf

Meaningwritten beside

Common meaning: a block of writing on one point

parabeside
graphto scratch marks, hence to write or drawLiddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), p. 317 · scan

‘beside’ + ‘to scratch marks, hence to write or draw’ → paragraph

Journey through time

Greekγράφω (gráphō)‘to scratch marks, hence to write or draw’
Frenchparagraphesource
Englishparagraph‘a block of writing on one point’ · today

para- also in: parable paradox parasol parasite paralegal

graph also in: epigraph telegram autograph biography geography

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Ancient Greek γράφω (gráphō) ‘to scratch marks, hence to write or draw’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), entry γράφω (gráphō), p. 317 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry PARAGRAPH, p. 420 · dictionary scan

Roots

γράφω (gráphō) Ancient Greek “to scratch marks, hence to write or draw”

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