ˈparəˌdīs also ˈper- or -īz noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English paradis, from Old French, from Late Latin paradisus, from Greek paradeisos enclosed park, garden, orchard, paradise, of Iranian origin; akin to Avestan pairi-daēza- enclosure, from pairi around + daēza- wall; akin to Greek peri around and to Greek teichos wall — more at peri- , dough
1.
a. : a place or state in which the souls of the righteous after death enjoy eternal bliss : heaven
b. : an intermediate elysium for the souls of the righteous during the interval between death and final judgment
2.
a. : a place of bliss : a region of supreme felicity or delight
an earthly paradise
a paradise for children
especially : a place characterized by favorable conditions, special opportunities, or the abundance of something
a tourist's paradise
a gourmet's paradise
a vacation paradise
a paradise for ducks
b. : a state of happiness
the lost paradise of childhood
3.
a. : a pleasure garden ; especially : an oriental park
b. : a preserve for foreign birds and animals
4. : an open space in a monastery or next to a church (as in a cloister) or the open court before a basilica
5. : the plumage (as the long tail feathers) of the male bird of paradise formerly used in millinery
6. or paradise apple often capitalized P : a small Asiatic wild apple ( Malus sylvestris paradisiaca ) used principally as a dwarfing rootstock and the source of several of the Malling rootstocks
7. : paradise fish