Part 55

2. The quality or state of being paradoxical. Coleridge

{ Par"af*fin (pr"f*fn), Par"af*fine (?) }, n. [F. paraffine, fr. L. parum too little + affinis akin. So named in allusion to its chemical inactivity.] (Chem.) A white waxy substance, resembling spermaceti, tasteless and odorless, and obtained from coal tar, wood tar, petroleum, etc., by distillation. It is used as an illuminant and lubricant. It is very inert, not being acted upon by most of the strong chemical reagents. It was formerly regarded as a definite compound, but is now known to be a complex mixture of several higher hydrocarbons of the methane or marsh-gas series; hence, by extension, any substance, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, of the same chemical series; thus coal gas and kerosene consist largely of paraffins.

In the present chemical usage this word is spelt paraffin, but in commerce it is commonly spelt paraffine.

Native paraffin. See Ozocerite. - - Paraffin series. See Methane series, under Methane.

Par"age, n. [F., fr. L. par, adj., equal. Cf. Peerage, Peer an equal.] 1. (Old Eng. Law) Equality of condition, blood, or dignity; also, equality in the partition of an inheritance. Spelman.

2. (Feudal Law) Equality of condition between persons holding unequal portions of a fee. Burrill.

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3. Kindred; family; birth. [Obs.] Ld. Berners.

We claim to be of high parage.

Chaucer.

Par`a*gen"e*sis (pr`*jn"*ss), n. [Pref. para- + genesis.] (Min.) The science which treats of minerals with special reference to their origin.

Par`a*gen"ic (-k), a. [Pref. para- + the root of ge`nos birth.] (Biol.) Originating in the character of the germ, or at the first commencement of an individual; -- said of peculiarities of structure, character, etc.

Par`a*glob"u*lin (-glb"*ln), n. [Pref. para- + globulin.] (Physiol. Chem.) An albuminous body in blood serum, belonging to the group of globulins. See Fibrinoplastin.

||Par`a*glos"sa (-gls"s), n.; pl. ParaglossÊ (- s). [NL., from Gr. ||para` beside + glw^ssa tongue.] (Zoˆl.) One of a pair of small ||appendages of the lingua or labium of certain insects. See Illust. ||under Hymenoptera.

Par"ag*nath (?), n. (Zoˆl.) Same as Paragnathus.

Pa*rag"na*thous (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Having both mandibles of equal length, the tips meeting, as in certain birds.

||Pa*rag"na*thus (?), n.; pl. Paragnathi (#). [NL. See Para-, and ||Gnathic.] (Zoˆl.) (a) One of the two lobes which form the lower lip, ||or metastome, of Crustacea. (b) One of the small, horny, toothlike ||jaws of certain annelids.

||Par`a*go"ge (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, from &?; to lead beside, ||protract; para` beside + &?; to lead.] 1. (Gram.) The addition of a ||letter or syllable to the end of a word, as withouten for without.

2. (Med.) Coaptation. [Obs.] Dunglison.

{ Par`a*gog"ic (?), Par`a*gog"ic*al (?), } a. [Cf. F. paragogique.] Of, pertaining to, or constituting, a paragoge; added to the end of, or serving to lengthen, a word.

Paragogic letters, in the Semitic languages, letters which are added to the ordinary forms of words, to express additional emphasis, or some change in the sense.

Par"a*gon (?), n. [OF. paragon, F. parangon; cf. It. paragone, Sp. paragon, parangon; prob. fr. Gr. &?; to rub against; para` beside + &?; whetstone; cf. LGr. &?; a polishing stone.] 1. A companion; a match; an equal. [Obs.] Spenser.

Philoclea, who indeed had no paragon but her sister.

Sir P. Sidney.

2. Emulation; rivalry; competition. [Obs.]

Full many feats adventurous Performed, in paragon of proudest men.

Spenser.

3. A model or pattern; a pattern of excellence or perfection; as, a paragon of beauty or eloquence. Udall.