What does papa mean?
Papa is an informal and affectionate word for one's father. It is especially associated with the way young children address their father, but family members may also use it among themselves as a familiar alternative to father or dad. Papa can additionally function as a formal title for the head of the Roman Catholic Church; in that use, it is normally capitalized. The family meaning is affectionate rather than disrespectful, although the word may sound deliberately old-fashioned when used in formal adult conversation. Historically, papa entered English from French and ultimately derives from a Greek word for father. That same Greek ancestry connects it with Latin papa, the title from which pope developed. The word is consequently useful not only as everyday family vocabulary but also as a reminder that familiar forms of address can have formal religious counterparts.
nounAn informal word for one's father, especially used by children or as a familiar form of address. Capitalized as a title, it can also refer to the pope.
- An informal, affectionate term for one's father, especially in speech by or to a child.
- A formal title for the pope, normally written with a capital letter.
"She ran to her papa as soon as she came home from school."
"When I was little, my papa would read me a story every night."
"The crowd gathered to greet the newly elected pope."
Usually used in the singular; the plural is uncommon and is appropriate when referring to more than one father.
"Her papas served together in the same military unit."
The affectionate “papa” and the solemn “pope” share an ancient Greek word for father.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does papa come from?
English borrowed papa from French papa in the early modern period. French had taken the word from Greek pappás, a term for father that was also used as a child's word. Greek pappás also passed into Latin as papa, where it was used for a father and later for a bishop, ultimately contributing to pope and related forms such as papal and papacy.
Related word forms
How papa is actually used
In the family sense, papa is informal and generally more familiar than father, though it may sound old-fashioned when used by adults. As a religious title it is normally capitalized.
Easily confused with papa
In family use, papa is an informal name for one's father, whereas pope is the formal title of the head of the Roman Catholic Church.