paratext

P3A1R1A1T1E1X8T1

noun

In literary theory, meanings that are alluded to, above or beyond the printed text; interpretations of text.

Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounparatext (countable and uncountable, plural paratexts)

plural paratexts

  1. countableliteraryuncountableIn literary theory, meanings that are alluded to, above or beyond the printed text; interpretations of text.
  2. countableuncountableAll of the notes and explanations that make a text more understandable.

Origin

From para- + text.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

paratext. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paratext

MLA

“paratext.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paratext. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paratext,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paratext.

Source: paratext on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.