English Dictionary

Definition of “paragon”

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paragon (ˈpærəɡənPronunciation for paragon) 

Definitions

noun

  1. a model of excellence; pattern  ⇒ a paragon of virtue 
  2. a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 20 point

verb (tr)

  1. archaic 
    1. to equal or surpass
    2. to compare
    3. to regard as a paragon

Word Origin

C16: via French from Old Italian paragone  comparison, from Medieval Greek parakonē  whetstone, from Greek parakonan  to sharpen against, from para-C16: via French from Old Italian comparison, from Medieval Greek whetstone, from Greek to sharpen against, from 1 + to sharpen, from whetstone + akonan  to sharpen, from akonē whetstone

Usage examples

  • They all wonder how I managed to persuade such a paragon to marry me.
    Gaskin, Catherine, The Ambassador's Women (1986)
  • Muthiah was no paragon of virtue when he entered the Union Cabinet last month.
    India Today (1998)
  • Air Canada, even in the sweet years of the late 1990s, was never a paragon of service with a smile.
    Globe and Mail (2003)
  • Given has been a paragon of defiance of late, a beacon for his club in its seemingly endless quest to court crises.
    Times, Sunday Times (2005)
  • We can swoon over a male paragon , while his female equivalent has rough going.
    Friday, Nancy, Jealousy (1986)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'P'

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