parvis

P3A1R1V4I1S1
UK/ˈpɑː.vɪs/US/ˈpɑɹ.vəs/

noun

An enclosed courtyard in front of a building, especially a cathedral.

OriginMiddle English parvys ← Old French parvis ← Latin paradīsus →
RareScrabble 11
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Meanings

nounparvis (plural parvises)

plural parvises · alternative parvise · alternative pervis

  1. An enclosed courtyard in front of a building, especially a cathedral.
  2. A portico surrounding such a space.
  3. The porch of a church, or the room over it.

Origin

  1. Proto-Iranian*paridayjah
  2. Ancient Greekπαράδεισος
  3. Latinparadīsus
  4. Old Frenchparvis
  5. Middle Englishparvys
  6. Englishparvis

From Middle English parvys, parvis, borrowed from Old French parvis, parevis, from Latin paradīsus, from Ancient Greek παράδεισος (parádeisos), ultimately from Proto-Iranian *paridayjah. Used since the Middle Ages to describe the court in front of St Peter's in Rome, and later, similar courts in front of other churches. Doublet of paradise.

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Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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