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par

Etymology and origin of the Latin word par

History
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin par
English umpire

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpaːr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpar][1]

Forms

pār (genitive paris, comparative parior, superlative parissimus or parissumus, adverb pariter); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

Of unclear origin.[2][1] If Umbrian pars (“prescribed”) is related, it continues Proto-Italic *parVs, and the long vowel would come from *parVs > *pars > *parr, whereas Walde and Hofmann instead took it as a lengthened grade.[2] The traditional link with Proto-Indo-European *perh₂- (“to sell, exchange”), kept by Pokorny and Köbler, does not suit the meaning well,[2][3][4] and de Vaan considers as an alternative a source *pās- connected with pāreō.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus onwards and notes the superlative parisuma in a Scipio epitaph.[2] Plautus uses it of a token that matches exactly and of people “most alike”.[5]

Semantic evolution

The adjective meant equal in size, number or degree, matching, and of numbers even, as in the game par impar “odd and even”.[5][6] It extended to people equal in age, rank or power, to things corresponding or proportionate, and to opponents well matched in a contest.[5] Used as a predicate it meant fair or right, as in par est “it is proper”.[5] Accounting gave the phrases paria facere “to settle accounts” and par pari respondere “to pay like for like”.[5]

As a masculine or feminine noun it meant a companion, mate or match, and as a neuter noun a pair, as of doves or gladiators.[5][6] In medieval Latin the noun meant a colleague, a fellow vassal, a party to a contract and a person of equal rank,[7] the source of English peer.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of matching tokens and of equals.[5][4]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of things equal in strength.[5][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of a Latin word equal to a Greek one and of a pair of friends.[5][6][4]
  • Middle Ages – As a noun it means a peer, a fellow vassal or a colleague.[7]
  • c. 1300 – Through French it gives English peer.[8]
  • 1620s – English borrows it as English par “equality of value”.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Equal in size, number, degree; uniform.[5][6]
  2. Level, balanced; corresponding in position.[5]
  3. (of numbers) Even.[5]
  4. Similar, like, matching.[5]
  5. Well suited, matched (of partners).[5]
  6. Equal in worth, age, rank or power.[5]
  7. Proportionate; equivalent.[5]
  8. Equal to (a task or opponent), adequate.[5]
  9. Well matched (of contestants and contests).[5]
  10. (as a predicate) Fair, right, proper.[5]

Noun

  1. A companion, an equal; a mate, partner.[5][9]
  2. An adversary; a match, peer.[5]
  3. (neuter) A pair, couple.[5][6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A colleague; a fellow vassal; a party to a contract; a person of equal rank.[7]

Word family

  • parilis
  • compār
  • dispār
  • impār
  • comparō
  • pāreō
  • English par
  • English peer
  • English pair
  • English umpire

Usage notes

The proverb pares cum paribus facillime congregantur meant “like gathers most easily with like”.[10][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern; Munich: Francke
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  10. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn

Descendants

Cite this entry

“Par.” Etymologically, 10 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/par. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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