English Explanatory Dictionary

paragraph

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A passage in text that starts on a new line, the first line sometimes being indented, and usually marks a change of topic.
  2. A mark or note set in the margin to call attention to something in the text, such as a change of subject.
  3. A brief article, notice, or announcement, as in a newspaper.
  4. An offset of 16 bytes in Intel memory architectures.
verb
  1. To sort text into paragraphs.
  2. To publish a brief article, notice, or announcement, as in a newspaper.

Pronunciation

/ˈpæɹəɡɹɑːf/ /ˈpæɹəɡɹæf/ en-us-ne-paragraph.ogg /ˈpɛɹəɡɹæf/ en-us-paragraph.ogg /ˈpaɹəɡɹaf/ /ˈpaɾəɡɾaf/ /-ɡɾaːf/

Word forms

paragraph paragraphs paragraphing paragraphed

Etymology

From Middle English paragraf, from Middle French paragraphe from Latin paragraphus (“sign for start of a new section of discourse”), from Ancient Greek παράγραφος (parágraphos), from παρά (pará, “beside”) and γράφω (gráphō, “to write”). Doublet of paragraphos.

Related words

Derived words

hanging paragraph interparagraph lead paragraph multiparagraph paragraph break paragraph character paragrapher paragraphic paragraphism paragraphist paragraphize paragraphless paragraphlet paragraph mark paragraph marker paragraph sign reparagraph sentegraph sub-paragraph subparagraph
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