Etymology

parry

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Today it means: To avoid, deflect, or ward off (an attack, a blow, an argument, etc.). Full definition →

Middle English *parree ← Old French paree ← Medieval Latin parāta
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parry · verb, noun1

  1. Medieval Latin · derived fromparāre
  2. French · derived fromparez
  3. Medieval Latin · derived fromparāta“preparation, parade”
  4. Old French · derived fromparee“preparation, ceremony, parade”
  5. Middle English · inherited from*parree
  6. English todayparry

From earlier parree, from Middle English *parree, *paree, from Old French paree (“preparation, ceremony, parade”), from Medieval Latin parāta (“preparation, parade”), from parāre (“to ward off, guard, defend, prepare, get ready”). More at pare. The English verb is taken from the noun. Doublet of parade. Alternative etymology derives the verb parry from French parez, the imperative form of parer (“to fend off”), ultimately from the Medieval Latin parāre. See above.

Parry · proper noun2

  1. Welsh · derived fromap
  2. English todayParry

Anglicised from Welsh ap Harri, "son of Henry".

Words from the same roots

Welshap all →

pewpughbroderickprosserPrichardPulliamUpjohnProbertBewPenryPendryProbynProbinPughe

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.