Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
pa

pa

35 8.2
A father's informal name
  • noun
  • /pɑ/
  • Informal
translation icon : papá
  • When I have a problem, I know I can count on my pa for advice.
  • ma and pa
  • tell your pa
  • see your pa

Examples

  • He works with my pa at the factory.

    I Walk the Line (1970)

  • Yeah, I wanted to go huntin' this mornin' but your pa said he needed some help.

    Old Henry (2021)

  • - Think about your Pa like he used to be.

    Gone with the Wind (1939)

  • I'll talk to your ma and pa when I get home, okay?

    Black Hawk Down (2001)

  • Has something happened to my pa? Her face told him she suspected the worst.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "My pa says that this land belongs to nobody and that I can play here."

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Your old mammy and pa would be fit to be tied.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • "He's never been a good pa, but like Levi said, he is our pa.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Rosie had moved up from Pullman after her pa was killed during the P508 strike.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • We've just buried our dear pa, after all. "He was a fine-looking man," said Harriet.

    Fiction book (1999)

Synonyms

father
vspa
∞ 1.0

A man who has a child

is informal and used casually rather than in formal contexts
dad
vspa
  • Informal
∞ 1.0

A man who is your father

is the same idea but as a short colloquial variant
daddy
vspa
  • Baby Talk
∞ 1.0

An informal name a child uses for their father

is informal too but is less overtly childish in tone
old man
vspa
  • Informal
312 1.4

A casual word for one's father

is the same casual label but often feels older or traditional
pop
vspa
  • Informal
252 8.2

A person's father, used as a friendly name

is similar but presents a more clipped, rustic sound
papi
vspa
  • Informal
98 9.0

A father or grandfather someone calls in a loving way

is informal but more neutral and not tied to specific cultures
papa
vspa
  • Baby Talk
83 1.6

An informal word a child uses for their father

is also informal but used more generally across ages
dada
vspa
  • Baby Talk
16 9.1

A young child's word for father

is informal too but less restricted to very young speakers
poppa
vspa
  • Informal
2 8.2

A familiar loving name a child uses for their father

is informal too but less explicitly affectionate in tone
pappa
vspa
  • Baby Talk
1 8.1

A word children use for their father

is comparable but slightly shorter and more colloquial in sound
paps
vspa
  • Informal
9.9

A friendly name for your father

is the more general informal alternative rather than a pet form

Antonyms

to mother
3 4.8

To give birth to a child or young animal

Compounds

PA system
7 2.8

A set of loud electronic speakers that plays announcements in public places

pa chew cheng
9.9

A traditional Chinese cake with a soft, chewy texture and sweet flavor

How Formal

father
∞ 1.0
pater
  • Archaic
5 9.9
dad
  • Informal
∞ 1.0
pa
  • Informal
35 8.2

Surface Forms

pa singular
pas plural

Etymology

The word pa comes from baby talk like papa, a simple sound babies often make. Because that 'pa' sound was an easy name for a parent in many languages, pa became a common, informal word for 'father'.