paragraph

A1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈpæɹəɡɹæf/ UK /ˈpæɹəɡɹɑːf/ See IPA manual

Freq #11965

Meanings

1

noun
A section of writing that starts on a new line and usually deals with one main idea.

Read the opening paragraph of the story carefully.
2

verb
To divide a piece of writing into paragraphs.

The essay is clearly paragraphed and easy to follow.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms paragraphedparagraphingparagraphs

Derived forms interparagraphmultiparagraphparagrapherparagraphicparagraphismparagraphistparagraphizeparagraphlessparagraphletreparagraphsentegraphsub-paragraph

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

explanatory paragraph
a paragraph that makes a point, process, or situation clearer

Adjective + noun

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.

paragraf Middle English paragraphe Middle French paragraphus Latin παράγραφος Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# paragraph

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈpæɹəɡɹæf/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpæɹəɡɹɑːf/
**Frequency rank:** 11965

## Meanings
1. A section of writing that starts on a new line and usually deals with one main idea.
2. To divide a piece of writing into paragraphs.

## Examples
- Read the opening paragraph of the story carefully.
- The essay is clearly paragraphed and easy to follow.

## Derived Forms
- interparagraph
- multiparagraph
- paragrapher
- paragraphic
- paragraphism
- paragraphist
- paragraphize
- paragraphless
- paragraphlet
- reparagraph
- sentegraph
- sub-paragraph

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: paragraf
- Root: paragraphe
- Root: paragraphus
- Root: παράγραφος
- Affix: para- - beside

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Paragraph comes 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. Modern senses include a section of writing that starts on a new line and usually deals with one main idea and to divide a piece of writing into paragraphs. The wider word family includes derivatives such as interparagraph, multiparagraph, paragrapher, paragraphic, paragraphism, and paragraphist.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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