papa

1 of 3

noun (1)

pa·​pa ˈpä-pə How to pronounce papa (audio)
chiefly British pə-ˈpä
variants or less commonly poppa
ˈpä-pə How to pronounce papa (audio)
Synonyms of papanext
: father

Papa

2 of 3

communications code word

Pa·​pa pə-ˈpä How to pronounce Papa (audio)
ˈpä-pə
—used as a code word for the letter p

poppa

3 of 3

noun (2)

pop·​pa ˈpä-pə How to pronounce poppa (audio)

less common spelling of papa

: father

Synonyms of papa

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Noun (1)

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Examples of papa in a Sentence

Noun (1) a proud papa of newborn twins
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Wyatt got a loving look from his papa Maisani. — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026 The potatoes are grilled, imparting a bit of smoke to classic papas. — Deputy Food Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
The big poppa of the drop, Barrow said, isn’t even the digital art. — Steven Zeitchik, Washington Post, 26 July 2022 As a proud poppa to a happy furbaby (Cosmos, below), that made sense. — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for papa

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French (baby talk)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1677, in the meaning defined above

Communications Code Word

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of papa was in 1677

Rhymes for papa

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Papa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papa. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on papa

Nglish: Translation of papa for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about papa

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