para- 1
1. a prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, most often attached to verbs and verbal derivatives, with the meanings "at or to one side of, beside, side by side" ( parabola; paragraph; parallel; paralysis ), "beyond, past, by" ( paradox; paragogue ); by extension from these senses, this prefix came to designate objects or activities auxiliary to or derivative of that denoted by the base word ( parody; paronomasia ), and hence abnormal or defective ( paranoia ), a sense now common in modern scientific coinages ( parageusia; paralexia ).
As an English prefix, para- 1 may have any of these senses; it is also productive in the naming of occupational roles considered ancillary or subsidiary to roles requiring more training, or of a higher status, on such models as paramedical and paraprofessional: paralegal; paralibrarian; parapolice.
2. Chem. a combining form designating the para (1, 4) position in the benzene ring. Abbr.: p-. Cf. meta- (def. 2c), ortho- (def. 2b). See diag. under ortho- .
Also, esp. before a vowel, par- .
[ para-, comb. form repr. pará (prep.) beside, alongside of, by, beyond ]
para- 2
a combining form meaning "guard against," occurring in loanwords from French, or, via French, from Italian: parachute; parasol.
[ para, 3d sing. pres. of parare to prepare against, ward off parare to PREPARE ]
para- 3
a combining form extracted from parachute , forming compounds denoting persons or things utilizing parachutes or landed by parachute: paradrop; paradoctor; paraglider; paratrooper.