paragraph
[ par-uh-graf, -grahf ]
/ ˈpær əˌgræf, -ˌgrɑf /
noun
a distinct portion of written or printed matter dealing with a particular idea, usually beginning with an indentation on a new line.
a note, item, or brief article, as in a newspaper.
verb (used with object)
to divide into paragraphs.
to write or publish paragraphs about, as in a newspaper.
to express in a paragraph.
Origin of paragraph
OTHER WORDS FROM paragraph
Words nearby paragraph
Example sentences from the Web for paragraph
British Dictionary definitions for paragraph
paragraph
/ (ˈpærəˌɡrɑːf, -ˌɡræf) /
noun
(in a piece of writing) one of a series of subsections each usually devoted to one idea and each usually marked by the beginning of a new line, indentation, increased interlinear space, etc
printing
the character ¶, used as a reference mark or to indicate the beginning of a new paragraph
a short article in a newspaper
verb (tr)
to form into paragraphs
to express or report in a paragraph
Derived forms of paragraph
paragraphic (ˌpærəˈɡræfɪk) or paragraphical, adjective paragraphically, adverbWord Origin for paragraph
C16: from Medieval Latin
paragraphus, from Greek
paragraphos line drawing attention to part of a text, from
paragraphein to write beside, from
para-
1 +
graphein to write
Cultural definitions for paragraph
paragraph
A basic unit of prose. It is usually composed of several sentences that together develop one central idea. The main sentence in a paragraph is called the topic sentence.