Etymology dictionary

parcel (n.) — parsimonious (adj.)

parcel (n.)

late 14c., "a portion or part of something" (a sense preserved in the verb and in the phrase parcel of land, which is from c. 1400), from Old French parcele "small piece, particle, parcel," and directly from Medieval Latin parcella, from Vulgar Latin *particella, extended form (via a diminutive suffix, but not necessarily implying smallness) of Latin particula "small part, little bit," itself a diminutive of pars (genitive partis) "a part, piece, fraction" (from PIE root *pere- (2) "to grant, allot").

Meaning "a package" is recorded from 1640s from the earlier sense of "a quantity of goods in a package" (mid-15c.), which is from the late 14c. sense of "an amount or quantity of anything." The expression part and parcel (early 15c.) also preserves the older sense; both words mean the same, the multiplicity is for emphasis. In some old and technical senses, parcel is used as an adjective or adverb meaning "in part, partially, to some degree." Parcel post as a service to deliver packages (later a branch of the postal service) is by 1790.

parcel (v.)

"to divide into small portions," early 15c., parcelen (with out), from parcel (n.). Related: Parceled; parcelled; parceling; parcelling.

parch (v.)

late 14c., "to roast or dry" (peas, beans, corn, etc.), a word of uncertain origin. Klein and OED reject derivations from Old North French perchier (Old French percer) "to pierce" and Latin persiccare "to dry thoroughly." Century Dictionary, The Middle English Compendium, and Barnhart suggest it could be from Middle English perchen, a variant of perishen "to perish" (see perish). Klein "tentatively" suggests a back-formation from parchment. A surname Parchecorn is attested from mid-14c. Meaning "to dry with excessive heat, expose to the strong action of fire but without burning" is from mid-15c. Related: Parched; parching.

parcheesi (n.)

backgammon-like board game for four, 1800, pachisi, from Hindi pachisi, the name of a game played on a kind of cloth chess-board with cowries for dice, from pachis "twenty-five" (the highest throw of the dice in the game), from Sanskrit panca "five" (from PIE root *penkwe- "five") + vinsati-s "twenty." The modern spelling outside India, with unetymological -r-, was enshrined 1892 by the trademark name.

parchment (n.)

c. 1300, parchemin (c. 1200 as a surname), "the skin of sheep or goats prepared for use as writing material," from Old French parchemin (11c., Old North French parcamin) and directly from Medieval Latin pergamentum, percamentum, from Late Latin pergamena "parchment," a noun use of an adjective (as in pergamena charta, attested in Pliny), from Late Greek pergamenon "of Pergamon," from Pergamon "Pergamum" (modern Bergama), the city in Mysia in Asia Minor where parchment supposedly first was adopted as a substitute for papyrus in 2c. B.C.E.

The form of the word was possibly influenced in Vulgar Latin by Latin parthica (pellis) "Parthian (leather)." The unetymological -t is an alteration in Middle English by confusion with nouns in -ment (compare pheasant) and by influence of Medieval Latin collateral form pergamentum. Technological advances in the production of cheap paper eventually restricted parchment's use largely to formal documents, hence parchment in the sense of "a certificate" (by 1888).

pard (n.2)

"accomplice, companion," 1850, a dialectal shortening of pardner, pardener (1795), which represents a common pronunciation of partner (n.).

pard (n.1)

archaic form of leopard, c. 1300, parde, from Latin pardus "a male panther," from Greek pardos "male panther," from the same source (probably Iranian) as Sanskrit prdaku-s "leopard, tiger, snake," and Persian palang "panther."

pardon (n.)

c. 1300, pardoun, "papal indulgence, forgiveness of sins or wrongdoing," from Old French pardon, from pardoner "to grant; forgive" (11c., Modern French pardonner), "to grant, forgive," and directly from Medieval Latin perdonum, from Vulgar Latin *perdonare "to give wholeheartedly, to remit," from Latin per "through, thoroughly" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + donare "give as a gift," from donum "gift," from PIE *donum "gift," from root *do- "to give."

Meaning "a passing over of an offense without punishment" is from c. 1300, also in the strictly ecclesiastical sense; the sense of "pardon for a civil or criminal offense; release from penalty or obligation" is from late 14c., earlier in Anglo-French. Weaker sense of "excuse for a minor fault" is attested from 1540s. To beg (one's) pardon "ask forgiveness" is by 1640s.

pardonable (adj.)

"forgivable, capable of being pardoned," mid-15c., from Old French pardonable (12c.), from pardoner (see pardon (v.)). Related: Pardonably.

pardon (v.)

mid-15c., pardounen, "to forgive for offense or sin," from Old French pardoner and Medieval Latin perdonare (see pardon (n.)).

Related: Pardoned; pardoning. Pardon me as a phrase used when making apology is by 1764; pardon my French as exclamation of apology for obscene language is by 1895.

pardoner (n.)

"man licensed to sell papal pardons or indulgences," late 14c. (early 14c. as a surname), agent noun from pardon (v.).

pare (v.)

c. 1300, paren, "peel (fruit), cut off the crust (of bread)," from Old French parer "arrange, prepare; trim, adorn," and directly from Latin parare "make ready, prepare, furnish, provide, arrange, order; contrive, design, intend, resolve; procure, acquire, obtain, get; get with money, buy, purchase" (related to parire "produce, bring forth, give birth to"), from PIE *par-a-, suffixed form of root *pere- (1) "to produce, procure."

From late 14c. in the more general sense of "trim by cutting or scraping off an outer layer;" meaning "to reduce something little by little" is from 1520s. Pare down "reduce by cutting or striking off" is from late 15c. Related: Pared; paring.

paring (n.)

late 14c., "act of trimming" something, also "that which is pared off;" verbal noun from pare (v.). Paring-knife is attested from 1590s.

paregoric (n.)

"medicine that soothes pain," 1704, from adjective (1680s) "assuaging pain, soothing," from Late Latin paregoricus, from Greek paregorikos "soothing, encouraging, consoling," from paregorein "speak soothingly to," from paregoros "consoling," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + root of agoreuein "speak in public," from agora "public assembly," from PIE root *ger- "to gather."

parenchyma (n.)

"the proper tissue or substance of any organ or part," as distinguished from connective tissue, etc., 1650s, Modern Latin, from Greek parenkhyma "something poured in beside," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + enkhyma "infusion," from en- "in" + khein "to pour" (from PIE root *gheu- "to pour"). In ancient physiology, the stuff that was supposed to make up the liver, lungs, etc., which was believed to be formed from blood strained through the capillaries and congealed. Related: Parenchymal; parenchymous.

parent (n.)

early 15c. (late 12c. as a surname), "a mother or father; a forebear, ancestor," from Old French parent "father, parent, relative, kin" (11c.) and directly from Latin parentem (nominative parens) "father or mother, ancestor," noun use of present participle of parire "bring forth, give birth to, produce," from PIE root *pere- (1) "to produce, bring forth." Began to replace native elder after c. 1500.

parental (adj.)

"of or pertaining to a parent or parents; proper to or characteristic of parents," 1620s, from Latin parentalis "of parents," from parens "father or mother" (see parent (n.)). Related: Parentally.

parent (v.)

1660s, transitive, "be or act as a parent to," from parent (n.). Intransitive sense of "be a parent" is by 1959. Related: Parented; parenting.

parenting (n.)

"supervision by parents of their children," 1959, verbal noun from parent (v.). An earlier term was parentcraft (1930); also see parentage.

parentage (n.)

late 15c., "parental conduct, parental relationship exhibited in the recognition and care of children," from Old French parentage (12c.), from parent (see parent (n.)). Meaning "descent or derivation from parents, lineage" is from 1560s; figurative use from 1580s. An earlier word was parage "descent, lineage; family," late 13c., from Old French.

parentcraft (n.)

"skill and knowledge in the rearing of children," by 1930, from parent + craft.

parenteral (adj.)

"involving the introduction of a substance into the body other than by the alimentary tract," 1905, from para- (1) + Greek enteron "intestine" (see enteric).

parenthesize (v.)

"insert as a parenthesis, express or state in parentheses," 1825, from parenthesis + -ize. Related: Parenthesized; parenthesizing.

parenthesis (n.)

1540s, "words, clauses, etc. inserted into a sentence, not grammatically connected to it but explaining or qualifying a word," from French parenthèse (15c.) or directly from Medieval Latin parenthesis "addition of a letter to a syllable in a word," from Greek parenthesis, literally "a putting in beside," from parentithenai "put in beside," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + en- "in" + tithenai "to put, to place" (from reduplicated form of PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

By 1715 the sense was extended from the inserted words to the two upright curved brackets (parentheses) used by printers or writers to indicate the words inserted.

parenthetical (adj.)

"of pertaining to, or of the nature of a parenthesis," 1620s, from Medieval Latin parentheticus from Greek parenthetos "put in beside," verbal adjective from parentithenai (see parenthesis) + -al (1). Related: Parenthetically.

parenthood (n.)

"state of being a parent; position of a parent," 1856, from parent (n.) + -hood.

parentless (adj.)

"without parents, lacking parents," 1560s, from parent (n.) + -less. Related: Parentlessness.

parer (n.)

1570s, "instrument for paring," agent noun from pare (v.).

paresis (n.)

"partial or incomplete paralysis," as that affecting motion but not sensation, 1690s, Modern Latin, from Greek paresis "slackening of strength, paralysis," literally "a letting go," from stem of parienai "to let go," from para- (see para- (1)) + hienai "to send, throw" (from PIE root *ye- "to throw, impel").

Pareto

1920, in reference to the work of Italian economist Vilfredo Federico Pareto (1848-1923). Related: Paretan.

par excellence

French, from Latin per excellentiam "by the way of excellence." French par "by, through, by way of, by means of" is from Latin per (see per). For second element, see excellence.

parfait (n.)

kind of rich frozen dessert, 1894, French, literally "perfect" (see perfect (adj.)).

parhelion (n.)

"mock-sun, an intensification of light on the solar halo," 1640s, from Greek parhelion "a mock-sun," from assimilated form of para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + hēlios "sun" (from PIE root *sawel- "the sun").

Paris

capital of France, from Gallo-Latin Lutetia Parisorum (in Late Latin also Parisii), name of a fortified town of the Gaulish tribe of the Parisii, who had a capital there; literally "Parisian swamps" (see Lutetian).

The tribal name is of unknown origin, but it is traditionally derived from a Celtic par "boat" (perhaps related to Greek baris; see barge (n.)), hence the ship on the city's coat of arms.

pariah (n.)

1610s, "member of a low caste in southern India, shunned as unclean," from Portuguese paria or directly from Tamil (Dravidian) paraiyar, plural of paraiyan "drummer" (at festivals, the hereditary duty of members of the largest of the lower castes of southern India), from parai "large festival drum." "Especially numerous at Madras, where its members supplied most of the domestics in European service" [OED]. Applied by Hindus and Europeans to any members of low Hindu castes and even to outcastes. Extended meaning "social outcast" is attested by 1819.

Parian (adj.)

"of or pertaining to Paros," one of the Cyclades, famous for its white marble.

parietal (adj.)

early 15c., "pertaining to the walls of a cavity in the body," from Late Latin parietalis "of walls," from Latin paries (genitive parietis) "wall" (of a building), a word of unknown origin. In U.S. also "pertaining to the residents and rules of a college or university" (1837; compare intramural). Combining form is parieto-.

pari-mutuel

1881 in reference to a form of betting, from French pari-mutuel "mutual wager," from pari "wager" (from parier "to bet," from Latin pariare "to settle a debt," literally "to make equal," from par, genitive paris, "equal;" see par (n.)) + mutuel "mutual," from Latin mutuus (see mutual (adj.)).

pari passu

"on an equality, without preference," Latin, literally "with equal step," from ablative of par "equal" (see par) + passus "pace" (see pace (n.)).

parish (n.)

c. 1300, "district with its own church; members of such a church," from Anglo-French paroche, parosse (late 11c.), Old French paroisse, from Late Latin parochia, paroecia "a diocese," an alteration of Late Greek paroikia "a diocese or parish," from paroikos "a sojourner" (in Christian writers), in classical Greek, "neighbor," from para- "near" (see para- (1)) + oikos "house" (from PIE root *weik- (1) "clan").

The sense development of the word in the early Church is unclear, perhaps it is from "sojourner" used as epithet of early Christians as spiritual sojourners in the material world. In early Church writing the word was used in a more general sense than Greek dioikesis, though by 13c. they were synonymous. It replaced Old English preostscyr, literally "priest-shire." In Great Britain (from the 1630s), some southern American colonies, and Louisiana it has been the name for a purely civil division for purposes of local government, with boundaries originally corresponding to an ecclesiastical parish.

parishioner (n.)

"an inhabitant or member of the community of a parish," mid-15c., with -er (1), from earlier parishen "parishioner" (c. 1200), from Old French paroissien, parochien, from paroisse (see parish). The doublet form parochian was obsolete by 1700.

Parisian

early 15c., Parisien (n.), "native or inhabitant of Paris;" 1610s (adj.), "of or pertaining to Paris;" from French parisien, from Medieval Latin parisianus (see Paris). Fem. form Parisienne (n.) is attested in English from 1886.

parity (n.)

1570s, "equality or equivalence of rank or status," from French parité (14c.) or directly from Late Latin paritas "equality," from Latin adjective par (genitive paris) "equal" (see par (n.)). Meaning "state or condition of being on a level" is from 1610s. Meaning "condition in which adversaries have equal resources" is from 1955, originally in reference to the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.

park (v.)

1812, "arrange military vehicles in a park," from park (n.) in a limited sense of "enclosure for guns, wagons, horses, provisions, etc." (attested from 1680s). The general non-military meaning "put (a vehicle) in a certain place" is recorded by 1844. Related: Parked; parking. Park-and-ride is from 1966.

park (n.)

mid-13c., "tract of land enclosed as a preserve for beasts of the chase," from Old French parc "enclosed wood or heath land used as a game preserve" (12c.), probably ultimately from West Germanic *parruk "enclosed tract of land" (source also of Old English pearruc, root of paddock (n.2), Old High German pfarrih "fencing about, enclosure," German pferch "fold for sheep," Dutch park).

Internal evidence suggests the West Germanic word is pre-4c. and originally meant the fencing, not the place enclosed. It is found also in Medieval Latin as parricus "enclosure, park" (8c.), which likely is the direct source of the Old French word, as well as Italian parco, Spanish parque, etc. Some claim the Medieval Latin word as the source of the West Germanic, but the reverse seems more likely. Some later senses in English represent later borrowings from French. OED discounts the notion of a Celtic origin: Welsh parc, Gaelic pairc are from English.

Meaning "enclosed lot in or near a town, set aside and maintained for public recreation" is attested from 1660s, originally in reference to London; the sense evolution is via royal parks in the original, hunting sense being overrun by the growth of London and being opened to the public. It was applied to sporting fields in American English from 1867.

New York's Park Avenue as an adjective meaning "luxurious and fashionable" (1956) was preceded in the same sense by London's Park Lane (1880). As a surname, Parker "keeper of a park" is attested in English from mid-12c. As a vehicle transmission gear, park (n.) is attested from 1949.

parking (n.)

"act of putting (a vehicle) in a certain place," 1915, verbal noun from park (v.). Parking lot "plot of ground used for parking vehicles" is from 1920; parking ticket "notification of a parking violation" attested by 1925; parking meter "device to measure the time allowed for parking" is by 1935. Parking brake "brake used to hold a parked vehicle in place" is recorded from 1927.

parka (n.)

1780, "hooded outer garment made of skins, worn by Eskimos," from Aleut parka, from Russian parka "a pelt or jacket made from pelt," which is said to be from Samoyed, a Uralic language spoken in Siberia. As the trade name of a similar wind-proof manufactured garment (also known as an anorak), by 1958.

Parker

surname, literally "the keeper of a park," mid-12c.; see park (n.).

Parkinson's disease

form of paralysis, 1877, from French maladie de Parkinson (1876), named for English physician James Parkinson (1755-1824), who described it (1817) under the names shaking palsy and paralysis agitans.

Parkinson's Law

1955 (in the "Economist" of Nov. 19), named for its deviser, British historian and journalist Cyril Northcote Parkinson (1909-1993): "work expands to fill the time available for its completion."

parkland (n.)

1907, "grassland with scattered trees;" by 1937 as "land used for a park," from park (n.) + land (n.).

parlay (n.)

1701, parloi, a term in the card game faro involving applying money won to a continuing bet, from French paroli, from Italian parole (Neapolitan paroli) "words, promises," plural of parolo (see parole (n.)). Verbal meaning "exploit to advantage" is by 1942.

parlance (n.)

1570s, "speaking, speech," especially in debate; 1787 as "way of speaking, manner of expression," from Anglo-French (c. 1300) and Old French parlance, from Old French parlaunce, from parler "to speak" (see parley). In common parlance means "in ordinary language."

parley (v.)

late 14c., parlen, "to speak, talk, confer," probably a borrowing of Old French parler "to speak" (see parley (n.)). Related: Parleyed; parleying. Meaning "to discuss terms," especially "to confer with an enemy," as on exchange of prisoners, a cease-fire, etc., is by 1560s, from the noun.

parley (n.)

"conference, conversation, speech," especially with an enemy, mid-15c., parlai, from Old French parlée, from fem. past participle of Old French parler "to speak" (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *paraulare, from Late Latin parabolare "to speak (in parables)," from parabola "speech, discourse," from Latin parabola "comparison" (see parable).

parleyvoo (n.)

colloquial for "the French language," 1754, from French parlez-vous (français?) "do you speak (French?)" From parlez, second person plural of parler "to speak" (see parley (n.)) + vous, from Latin vos, plural of tu "thou" (see thou). Also used as a verb, "to speak French." It got another boost in U.S. after World War I, along with other mangled French terms brought home by the doughboys, such as san fairy ann, a jocular expression of indifference, representing French ça ne fait rien "it does not matter."

parliament (n.)

c. 1300, parlement, "consultation; formal conference, assembly," from Old French parlement (11c.), originally "a speaking, talk," from parler "to speak" (see parley (n.)); the spelling was altered c. 1400 to conform with Medieval Latin parliamentum.

Anglo-Latin parliamentum is attested from early 13c. The specific sense of "representative assembly of England or Ireland" (with capital P-) emerged by mid-14c. from the broader meaning "a conference of the secular and/or ecclesiastical aristocracy summoned by a monarch."

parliamentary (adj.)

"of or pertaining to a parliament; in accordance with the rules and usages of legislatures," 1610s, from parliament + -ary.

parliamentarian (n.)

1640s as a designation of one of the sides in the English Civil War (a partisan or supporter of Parliament as opposed to the King); meaning "one versed in parliamentary procedure" dates from 1834. See parliamentary + -ian.

parlor (n.)

c. 1300, parlur, "apartment in a monastery for conversations with outside persons," earlier "window through which confessions were made" (c. 1200), from Old French parleor "courtroom, judgment hall, auditorium" (12c., Modern French parloir), from parler "to speak" (see parley (n.)).

The sense developed by late 14c. to "room off a main hall offering some privacy," by early 15c. to "public room of a private house," by 16c. to "the ordinary sitting room of a family." The meaning "show room for a business" (as in ice cream parlor) is by 1884. As an adjective, "advocating radical views from a position of comfort" (as in parlor socialist) is by 1900.

parlous (adj.)

late 14c., "dangerous, alarming," a late Middle English contraction of perilous. Related: Parlously.

parlour

chiefly British English spelling of parlor (q.v.); see -or.

parmenter (n.)

c. 1200 (late 12c. as a surname), "tailor, furrier," from Old French parmentier, Medieval Latin parmentarius, a word of uncertain origin.

Parmesan (n.)

type of dry, hard cheese, 1550s, from parmeson cheese (1510s), from the adjective meaning "of or relating to Parma," the city of northern Italy; from Italian Parmegiano "of Parma." The place name is probably ultimately Etruscan.

Parnassus (n.)

"the abiding place of poetry, the home of the poets," late 14c., Parnaso, from Italian, from Latin Parnassus, from Greek Parnassos, Parnasos, mountain chain in central Greece, sacred to Apollo and the Muses, thus symbolic of poetry. Ancient sources say the older name was Larnassos; Beekes hints at a Pre-Greek origin. Related: Parnassian.

Parnellite (n.)

in Irish history, 1881, a political adherent of the Irish Home Rule policy of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891); with -ite (1). For the surname, see Petronilla.

parochial (adj.)

late 14c., "of or pertaining to a parish," from Anglo-French parochiel (early 14c.), from Old French parochial, from Late Latin parochialis "of a parish" (c. 600), from parochia (see parish).

Figurative sense, "limited, narrow," as if confined to a small region, is from 1856 (also see parochialism). Parochial school is attested from 1755.

parochialism (n.)

"limited and narrow character or tendency, provincialism, narrow-mindedness and uncuriosity about the wider world," 1847, from parochial + -ism.

parodize (v.)

"to write a parody upon; to imitate ridiculously, as a parody," 1650s; see parody (n.) + -ize. Related: Parodized; parodizing.

parody (n.)

1590s (first recorded use in English is in Ben Jonson), "literary work in which the form and expression of dignified writing are closely imitated but are made ridiculous by the ludicrously inappropriate subject or methods; a travesty that follows closely the form and expression of the original," from or in imitation of Latin parodia "parody," from Greek parōidia "burlesque song or poem," from para- "beside, parallel to" (see para- (1), in this case, "mock-") + ōidē "song, ode" (see ode). The meaning "a poor or feeble imitation" is from 1830. Related: Parodic; parodical.

parody (v.)

1745, "to turn into a parody, write a parody upon," from parody (n.). The general sense of "to imitate as a parody" is by 1801. Related: Parodied; parodying.

parodist (n.)

"a writer of parodies," 1742, from French parodiste (18c.), from parodie (see parody (n.)).

parole (n.)

1610s, "word of honor," especially "promise by a prisoner of war not to escape if allowed to go about at liberty, or not to take up arms again if allowed to return home," from French parole "word, speech" (in parole d'honneur "word of honor") from Vulgar Latin *paraula "speech, discourse," from Latin parabola "comparison," from Greek parabole "a comparison, parable," literally "a throwing beside," hence "a juxtaposition" (see parable). Sense of "conditional release of a prisoner before full term" is attested by 1908 in criminal slang.

parol (n.)

"oral statement, something said or spoken," late 15c., from Anglo-French (14c.), from Old French parole "word, speech, argument" (see parole (n.)). As an adjective, "verbal, oral," from c. 1600.

parole (v.)

1716, from parole (n.). Originally it was what the prisoner did ("pledge"), but this sense is obsolete; its transitive meaning "put on parole, allow to go at liberty on parole" is attested by 1782. Meaning "release (a prisoner) on his own recognizance" is by 1888. Related: Paroled; paroling.

parolee (n.)

"one who has been released on parole," 1908, from parole (v.) + -ee.

-parous

word-forming element meaning "bearing, producing," from Latin -parus (as in viviparus "bringing forth young alive"), from parire "to produce, bring forth" (from PIE root *pere- (1) "to produce, procure").

paronomasia (n.)

in rhetoric, "the use of words similar in sound but different in sense; use of the same word in different senses;" more or less, but not quite, "punning;" 1570s, from Latin, from Greek paronomasia "play upon words which sound similarly," from paronomazein "to alter slightly, to call with slight change of name," literally "to name beside," from par- (see para- (1)) + onomasia "naming," from onoma "name" (from PIE root *no-men- "name"). Related: Paranomastic; paranomastical.

paronym (n.)

"cognate word, a word which is derivative from another or from the same third word," 1846, from Greek paronymos, "formed by a slight change," from para- (see para- (1)) + onyma "name" (from PIE root *no-men- "name"). Paronymous "having the same derivation, allied in origin" is from 1660s; in the sense of "having similar sound but differing in spelling and sense" is is by 1836. Related: Paronymic; paronymy.

Parousia (n.)

"the Second Coming," 1875, a reference to Matthew xxiv.27, from Greek parousia, literally "presence," from para- (see para- (1)) + ousia "essence," from on, genitive ontos, present participle of einai "to be" (from PIE root *es- "to be"). Parusia, from a Modern Latin form of the Greek word, is a term in rhetoric: "the use of the present tense instead of the past or future, for dramatic effect."

paroxysm (n.)

early 15c., "sudden attack, convulsion; periodic worsening of a disease," from Old French paroxysme, paroxime (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin paroxysmus "irritation, fit of a disease," from Greek paroxysmos "irritation, exasperation," from paroxynein "to irritate, goad, provoke," from para- "beyond" (see para- (1)) + oxynein "sharpen, goad," from oxys "sharp, pointed" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce" ). Non-medical sense of "any sudden and violent action; convulsion, fit" is by c. 1600. Related: Paroxysmal.

porringer (n.)

"a porridge-dish; a small vessel deeper than a plate, usually with upright sides, a nearly flat bottom, and one or two ears," late 15c., alteration of potynger, potager "small dish for stew," from Middle English potage (see pottage) by the same course of changes that produced porridge; and with unetymological -n- by 1530s (compare passenger).

port (n.1)

"a bay, cove, inlet, or recess of a large body of water where vessels can load and unload and find shelter from storms; a harbor, whether natural or artificial," Old English port "a port, harbor, a place where there is a constant resort of vessels for the purpose of loading and unloading;" also "a town, market town, city," reinforced by Old French port "harbor, port; mountain pass." The Old English and Old French words both are from Latin portus "a port, harbor," figuratively "haven, place of refuge, asylum" (in Old Latin also "a house;" in Late Latin also "a warehouse"), originally "an entrance, a passage," akin to porta "a city gate, a gate, a door" (from PIE *prtu- "a going, a passage," suffixed form of root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over").

The figurative sense "place, position, or condition of refuge" is attested in English from early 15c.; phrase any port in a storm, indicating "any refuge is welcomed in adversity," is by 1749. A port of call (1810) is one paid a scheduled visit by a vessel in the course of its voyage. The verb meaning "to carry or bring into a port" is by 1610s.

port (n.2)

c. 1300 (mid 13c. in surnames), porte, "a gate, an entrance to a place, a portal; the gate of a town or fortress," also in names of specific gates, from Old French porte "gate, entrance," from Latin porta "a city gate, a gate; door, entrance," akin to portus "harbor," from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." Old English also had occasional port in this sense, from Latin, but the Middle English word seems to be a new borrowing via French.

The meaning "porthole, an opening in the side of a ship" is attested from mid-14c.; in old warships, an embrasure in the side of the ship through which cannons are pointed. The medical sense of "place where something enters the body" is by 1908 probably short for portal. In computers, "place where signals enter or leave a data-transmission system," by 1979, from earlier use in electronics (1953) for "pair of terminals where a signal enters or leaves a network or device," which also probably is short for portal.

port (n.3)

"bearing, mien, carriage, demeanor, deportment," c. 1300, from Old French port "carriage demeanor," from porter "to carry," from Latin portare "to carry" (source of port (v.2)), from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." From c. 1400 as "external appearance;" by 1520s in the now-archaic sense of "state, style, establishment."

port (n.4)

"the left side of a ship" (looking forward from the stern), 1540s, probably from the notion of "the side facing the harbor" (when a ship is docked); thus from port (n.1). On old-style vessels the steering oar was on the right side, thus they would tie up at a wharf on the other side. It replaced larboard in common usage to avoid confusion with starboard; officially so by Admiralty order of 1844 and U.S. Navy Department notice of 1846. As an adjective by 1857.

port (n.5)

type of sweet dark-red wine, 1690s, shortened from Oporto, the city in northwest Portugal from which the wine originally was shipped to England; the name is originally O Porto "the port, the harbor" (see port (n.1)).

port (v.)

"to carry, bear, convey," 1560s, from French porter, from Latin portare "to carry, bear, bring, convey," also figuratively, "betoken" (source also of Spanish portar), akin to porta "gate, portus "harbor" (from PIE *prto-, suffixed form of root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over"). The meaning "to carry (a rifle, etc.) in a military fashion" is from 1620s. Related: Ported; porting. The Latin verb is the source of many modern English words, including deport, export, import, report, support, important, and, ultimately, sports.

Porte (n.)

"Ottoman court at Constantinople," c. 1600, from French, in full, la Sublime Porte, literally "the high gate," translation of Arabic al-Bab al-'Ali, "lofty gate," official name of the central office of the Ottoman government (compare Vatican for "the Papacy," White House for "the United States"). Compare also Mikado. The name supposedly is a relic of the ancient custom of holding royal audience in the doorway of a king's palace or tent.

portable (adj.)

"capable of being carried from place to place," early 15c., from French portable "that can be carried," from Late Latin portabilis "that can be carried," from Latin portare "to carry" (from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over"). An earlier word for "designed to be carried from place to place" was portatif (late 14c.), from Old French. Related: Portability.

portage (n.)

early 15c., "action of carrying, transportation," said to be from Old French portage and directly from Medieval Latin portaticum, though the meaning of these was "tax paid on entering a town," from Latin portare "to carry" (from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over"). The sense of "a break in a chain of water-communication over which goods, boats, etc. must be carried," also "the carrying of boats from one navigable water to another" is from 1690s, reinforced in U.S. and Canada by Canadian French.

parry (v.)

1630s, "to turn aside or ward off" the blow of a weapon (transitive), from French parez! (a word which would have been heard often in fencing lessons), imperative of parer "ward off," from Italian parare "to ward or defend (a blow)" (see para- (2)). Related: Parried; parrying. Non-fencing use is from 1718. The noun, "an act of warding off or turning aside," is by 1705, from the verb.

parricide (n.)

1. "person who kills a parent or near relative" (1550s), also 2. "act of killing a parent or near relative" (1560s), both from French parricide (13c. in sense 1, 16c. in sense 2), from 1. Latin parricida, 2. Latin parricidium, probably from parus "relative" (a word of uncertain origin, but compare Greek paos, peos "relation," Sanskrit purushah "man") + 1. cida "killer," 2. cidium "killing," both from caedere "to kill, to cut down" (from PIE root *kae-id- "to strike"). Old English had fæderslaga. Related: Parricidal.

parrot (v.)

"repeat by rote, mechanically and without understanding," 1590s, from parrot (n.). Related: Parroted; parroting.

parrot (n.)

bird of the family Psittacidae, widespread in the tropics and noted for beautiful plumage and a fleshy tongue, which gives it the ability to learn to articulate words and sentences, 1520s, a word of uncertain origin, perhaps from dialectal French perrot, from a variant of Pierre "Peter;" or perhaps a dialectal form of perroquet (see parakeet). Replaced earlier popinjay. The German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt in South America in 1800 encountered a very old parrot that was the sole speaker of a dead native language, the original tribe having gone extinct.

parrot-fish (n.)

name given to various species on account of colors or a strong, hard mouth, 1712, from parrot (n.) + fish (n.).

parse (v.)

1550s, in grammar, "to state the part of speech of a word or the words in a sentence," a verbal use of Middle English pars (n.) "part of speech" (c. 1300), from Old French pars, plural of part "a part," from Latin pars "a part, piece" (from PIE root *pere- (2) "to grant, allot") in the school question, Quae pars orationis? "What part of speech?" Transferred (non-grammatical) use is by 1788. Pars also was a common plural of part (n.) in early Middle English. Related: Parsed; parsing.

Parsee (n.)

1610s, descendant of Zoroastrians who fled to India 7c.-8c. after the Muslim conquest of Persia, from Old Persian parsi "Persian" (see Persian). In Middle English, Parsees meant "Persians." Related: Parseeism.

parsec (n.)

interstellar distance measure, 1913, from first elements of parallax second. It is the distance at which an object has parallax (viewed from Earth at an interval of six months and halved) of one second of arc, or about 3.26 light-years.

parsimony (n.)

early 15c., parcimony, "economy, thrift, frugality, sparingness in the use of expenditure of means," from Latin parsimonia "sparingness, frugality, thrift," from pars-, past-participle stem of parcere "to spare, save, refrain from, use moderately" (which is said to be unrelated to Latin parvus "small," parum "too little") + -monia, suffix signifying action, state, or condition. De Vaan suggests a PIE source-word meaning "to hold." Now commonly "excessive or unnecessary economy, stinginess," a narrowed sense attested by mid-16c.

parsimonious (adj.)

1590s, "very sparing in expenditure," from Latin parsimonia "frugality, thrift" (see parsimony) + -ous. Not originally with the suggestion of stinginess, but this had emerged by 18c. Related: Parsimoniously; parsimoniousness.