LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

parabola

parabola f (genitive parabolae)
Classical[paˈra.bɔ.ɫa]Ecclesiastical[paˈraː.bo.la]

Meaning

  1. feminineA comparison, illustration, likeness
  2. EcclesiasticalLate LatinLatinfeminineAn allegorical relation, parable; proverb; taunting speech or any speech.
    animadvertet parabolam et interpretātiōnem, verba sapientum et aenigmata eōrumHe shall understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings. (Douay-Rheims trans., Challoner rev.; 1752 CE)c. 347 CE – 420 CE, Hieronymus, Vulgate Proverbs.1.6
  3. Late LatinMedieval Latinfeminineword
  4. feminineparabola

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeparabolaparabolae
genitiveparabolaeparabolārum
dativeparabolaeparabolīs
accusativeparabolamparabolās
ablativeparabolāparabolīs
vocativeparabolaparabolae

părăbŏla, ae, and părăbŏlē, ēs, f., = παραβολή,
I. a comparison.
I. Lit.: in omni parabole aut praecedit similitudo, res sequitur; aut praecedit res, similitude sequitur, Quint. 8, 3, 77; 6, 3, 59: qui simpliciter et demonstrandae rei causā eloquebantur, parabolis referti sunt, Sen. Ep. 59, 5.—
II. Transf., in eccl. Lat., an allegorical relation, a parable, Tert. adv. Marc. 3, 5; Aug. quaest. Evang. 2, 45; Vulg. Job, 27, 1; id. Matt. 13, 3 et saep.—
B. A proverb, Vulg. 3 Reg. 4, 32.—
C. A taunting speech, Vulg. Hab. 2, 6.—
D. Any speech, esp. in phrase: assumptā parabolā, Vulg. Num. 23, 7.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pərai
  4. Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ́(părắ)
  5. Ancient Greek παρα-(para-)
  6. Latinparabola

Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō) Ancient Greek παραβάλλω (parabállō) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-ā́ Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek παραβολή (parabolḗ)bor. Latin parabola Borrowed from Ancient Greek παραβολή (parabolḗ, “comparison; parable”).

Ecclesiastical Latin
  • Catalanparàbola
  • Englishparabola
  • Englishparabole
  • GermanParabel
  • Italianparabola
  • Frenchparabolefrom Old French parabole
  • Englishparablefrom Old French parabole
  • Portugueseparábola
  • Romanianparabolă
  • Spanishparábola
Elsewhere
  • Romanianparaulăfrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Romanianpârăurăfrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Italianparolafrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Frenchparolefrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Romanianparolăfrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Englishparolefrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Occitanparaulafrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Portuguesepalavrafrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Spanishpalabrafrom Vulgar Latin *paraula
  • Englishpalabrafrom Vulgar Latin *paraula

In English words that came into English from parabola

  • paroleparabola
  • parabolaparabola
  • palaverparabola
  • parableparabola
  • parleyparabolō
  • parolparabola

Quick answers

What does parabola mean in Latin?
parabola, a noun, means “A comparison, illustration, likeness; An allegorical relation, parable; proverb”.
What is the genitive of parabola?
The genitive singular is parabolae. parabola is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce parabola?
In classical Latin, [paˈra.bɔ.ɫa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [paˈraː.bo.la].
Where does parabola come from?
Proto-Indo-European *per- → Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- → Proto-Hellenic *pərai → Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ́ (părắ) → Ancient Greek παρα- (para-) → Latin parabola.
Which English words come from parabola?
English words that go back to Latin parabola include parole, parabola, palaver, parable, parol and parley.