parasol

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To protect with, or as if with, a parasol; to shade.

   Now old ladies, who dare venture a-shopping, go parasolling their withered perfections along, and entertain a decided dread of injuring the immaterial whiteness of their skins, which have ceased to he compared to "lilies" and "snows," and other sonnet-like similes, for more than thirty summers […].

2. 2
   noun

   a handheld collapsible source of shade

3. 3
   noun

   A small light umbrella used as protection from the sun.

4. 4
   noun

   A miniature paper umbrella used as a decoration in tropical-themed cocktails.

Simplified etymology

Parasol entered English in the early 17th century from Italian parasole, formed from para- ‘protecting against’ and sole ‘sun’, the latter ultimately from Latin sol ‘sun’.

From French parasol, from Italian parasole, from para- (“to shield”) + sole (“sun”).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary