"paralysis of the lower half of the body," 1650s, Latinized form of (Ionic) Greek paraplēgia "paralysis of one side of the body," from paraplēssein "strike at the side," paraplēssesthai "be stricken on one side," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + plēssein "to strike" (from PIE root *plak- (2) "to strike").
"partial or incomplete paralysis," as that affecting motion but not sensation, 1690s, Modern Latin, from Greek paresis "slackening of strength, paralysis," literally "a letting go," from stem of parienai "to let go," from para- (see para- (1)) + hienai "to send, throw" (from PIE root *ye- "to throw, impel").
1580s, "wall or rampart rising breast-high," from French parapet "breastwork" (16c.), or directly from Italian parapetto, from para- "defense" (see para- (2)) + petto "breast," from Latin pectus (see pectoral (adj.)). Meaning "low wall at the edge of a structure to keep people from falling off" is from 1590s.
"genus of holotrichous ciliate Infusorial" [OED]; "the slipper-animacule" [Century Dictionary]; 1752, Modern Latin Paramecium, the genus name, coined from Greek paramekes "oblong, oval," from para- "on one side" (see para- (1)) + mēkos "length," related to makros "long," from PIE root *mak- "long, thin."
"the placing of clauses one after another without connecting words to indicate their relation," 1838, from Greek parataxis "a placing side by side, a placing in line of battle," from stem of paratassein "to place side by side," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + tassein "to arrange" (see tactics). Related: Paratactic.
"a restatement of a text or passage, giving the sense of the original in other words," often in fuller terms and greater detail, 1540s, from French paraphrase (1520s), from Latin paraphrasis "a paraphrase," from Greek paraphrasis "a free rendering," from paraphrazein "to tell in other words," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + phrazein "to tell" (see phrase (n.)).
"pretended or suggested omission for rhetorical effect," 1580s, from Greek paraleipsis "passing by omission," from paraleipein "to leave on one side, pass over, leave untold," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + leipein "to leave" (from PIE root *leikw- "to leave"). As in passages that open with "not to mention," "to say nothing of," etc.
"medicine that soothes pain," 1704, from adjective (1680s) "assuaging pain, soothing," from Late Latin paregoricus, from Greek paregorikos "soothing, encouraging, consoling," from paregorein "speak soothingly to," from paregoros "consoling," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + root of agoreuein "speak in public," from agora "public assembly," from PIE root *ger- "to gather."
