/ pɑː(r); NAmE / noun [ U ]
1.
( in golf ) the number of strokes a good player should need to complete a course or to hit the ball into a particular hole :
a par five hole
Par for the course is 72.
2.
(also ˈpar value ) ( business ) the value that a share in a company had originally :
to be redeemed at par
•
IDIOMS
- below / under par
- be par for the course
- on a par with sb/sth
- up to par
SYN up to scratch
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (in the sense equality of value or standing ): from Latin , equal , also equality . The golf term dates from the late 19th cent.