paragraph

Etymology

Borrowed 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, “I write”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛɹəɡɹæf/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpæɹəɡɹɑːf/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: par‧a‧graph

Noun

paragraph (plural paragraphs)

1. A passage in text that is about a different subject from the preceding text, marked by commencing on a new line, the first line sometimes being indented.
2. (originally) A mark or note set in the margin to call attention to something in the text, such as a change of subject.

Verb

paragraph (third-person singular simple present paragraphs, present participle paragraphing, simple past and past participle paragraphed)

1. To sort text into paragraphs.