paragraph

From Middle English paragraf, 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”). Doublet of paragraphos.

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

  • Audio (US)

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    (Mary–marry–merry distinction)

  • Audio (US)

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    (Mary–marry–merry merger)
• Hyphenation: par‧a‧graph

paragraph (plural paragraphs)

1. A passage in text that starts on a new line, the first line sometimes being indented, and usually marks a change of topic.

   opening paragraph

   final paragraph

   paragraph heading

   Divide the writing into paragraphs.

2. (originally) A mark or note set in the margin to call attention to something in the text, such as a change of subject.
3. A brief article, notice, or announcement, as in a newspaper.
4. (computing) An offset of 16 bytes in Intel memory architectures.

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

1. To sort text into paragraphs.
2. To publish a brief article, notice, or announcement, as in a newspaper.

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