parathion

P3A1R1A1T1H4I1O1N1
/pæɹəˈθaɪɒn/

noun

An organophosphorus insecticide acaricide, [O,O-diethyl-O-4-nitro-phenylthiophosphate], a powerful, dangerously toxic insecticide.

OriginEnglish para- ← Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ- (pără-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pərai →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounparathion (countable and uncountable, plural parathions)

plural parathions

  1. countableuncountableAn organophosphorus insecticide acaricide, [O,O-diethyl-O-4-nitro-phenylthiophosphate], a powerful, dangerously toxic insecticide.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pərai
  4. Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ́ (părắ)
  5. Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ- (pără-)
  6. Englishpara-
  7. Englishparathion

From para- (“p-”) + -thion.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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