pa

The word “pa” means an informal word for father. In plain terms, a casual, old-fashioned way of saying "dad" (or sometimes "grandpa").

“Pa” is pronounced pah (/pɑː/ in IPA).

Here is “pa” used in a sentence: “Pa always sat at the head of the table for dinner.”

“Pa” is a noun.

“Pa” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Pa” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an informal word for father.

Pa is an informal, affectionate word for one's father, similar to dad, papa, or pop. It has an old-fashioned, homely feel and appears often in older books, rural speech, and regional dialects. It is a shortened, familiar form rather than a formal term of address.

Pa is informal. You would use it with family or in casual, affectionate speech, not in formal writing or official documents, where 'father' is the correct choice. It belongs to the same relaxed group as ma, dad, and mum, and often sounds old-fashioned or regional today.

Both are informal words for father, and they share the same root. Pa is shorter and blunter, common in older or rural English, while papa is slightly softer and can sound more childlike or, in some accents, more formal. In practice the two are largely interchangeable.