parergon

P3A1R1E1R1G2O1N1
US/pæˈrɝ.ɡɑn/

noun

A piece of work that is supplementary to or a byproduct of a larger work.

OriginAncient Greek πάρεργον →
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Meanings

nounparergon (plural parergons or parerga)

plural parergons · plural parerga

  1. A piece of work that is supplementary to or a byproduct of a larger work.

    […] the running and control of double agents is a[n] […] infinitely complicated task. It could not be done as a parergon by any intelligence department elsewhere […]

    1945, J.C. Masterman, The Double-Cross System

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπάρεργον“subordinate or secondary business; by-work”
  2. Englishparergon

From Ancient Greek πάρεργον (párergon, “subordinate or secondary business; by-work”), neuter of πάρεργος (párergos, “beside the main subject, subordinate, incidental”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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