Papa Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms papa American [pah-puh, puh-pah] / ˈpɑ pə, pəˈpɑ /

noun

1. father.

2. Papa, a code word used in communications, especially by radio, to represent the letter P.

Papa 1 British / ˈpɑːpɑː /

noun

1. communications a code word for the letter p

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 papa 2 British / pəˈpɑː /

noun

1. old-fashioned an informal word for father

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 papa 3 British / ˈpɑːpɑː /

noun

1. RC Church another name for the pope 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 papa 4 British / ˈpɑːpa /

noun

1. rare. a soft blue-grey clay of marine siltstone or sandstone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of papa

First recorded in 1675–85; from French; Middle French pappa (nursery word); compare Latin pāpa “father” ( pope ), Old Norse pāpi, pabbi “father”; pap 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In June, his twin sons transferred to his alma mater from a Detroit prep school with hopes of making their papa proud and lifting the town’s spirit.

From Los Angeles Times

I guess papas have a way of knowing when boys are telling the truth.

From Literature

The dozen younger alpacas around them lowered their heads as their papa alpaca stomped on the mound of grass.

From Literature

Her mama and papa had died when she was eighteen, and she stayed on the farm, keeping a few animals, selling herbs like Violet and I do.

From Literature

“He will teach you. And you will learn. That is how it was with me and your papa. I am grateful he was chosen for me. He has been a good husband.”

From Literature

Related Words

• dad

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.