Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “paraph” come from?

paraph (English) comes from Middle English paraf, from Middle French paraphe, from Middle French paragraphe, from Latin paragraphus, from Ancient Greek παράγραφος, from Ancient Greek γράφω, from Proto-Hellenic grəpʰō, from Proto-Indo-European gerbʰ- — to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...

paraph (English): A flourish made after or below one's signature,...

Definitions

  1. A flourish made after or below one's signature,...

Ancestry of “paraph”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishparaf—
2Middle Frenchparaphe—
3Middle Frenchparagraphe—
4Latinparagraphusparagraph
5Ancient Greekπαράγραφοςshort stroke in the margin marking a break in...
6Ancient Greekγράφωto scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to...
7Proto-Hellenicgrəpʰōto scratch, cut or carve into; to draw ,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeangerbʰ-to carve
9Proto-Indo-Europeanger-to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ger- →