Part 61

Lords in paraments on their coursers.

Chaucer.

Chamber of paraments, presence chamber of a monarch.

||Pa`ra*men"to (?), n. [Sp.] Ornament; decoration. Beau. & Fl.

Par"a*mere (?), n. [Pref. para- + -mere.] (Zoˆl.) One of the symmetrical halves of any one of the radii, or spheromeres, of a radiate animal, as a starfish.

Pa*ram"e*ter (?), n. [Pref. para- + -meter: cf. F. paramËtre.] 1. (a) (Math.) A term applied to some characteristic magnitude whose value, invariable as long as one and the same function, curve, surface, etc., is considered, serves to distinguish that function, curve, surface, etc., from others of the same kind or family. Brande & C. (b) Specifically (Conic Sections), in the ellipse and hyperbola, a third proportional to any diameter and its conjugate, or in the parabola, to any abscissa and the corresponding ordinate.

The parameter of the principal axis of a conic section is called the latus rectum.

2. (Crystallog.) The ratio of the three crystallographic axes which determines the position of any plane; also, the fundamental axial ratio for a given species.

||Par`a*me*tri"tis (?), n. [NL. See Para-, and Metritis.] (Med.) ||Inflammation of the cellular tissue in the vicinity of the uterus.

Par`a*mi*og"ra*pher (?), n. [Gr. &?; proverb + -graph + -er.] A collector or writer of proverbs. [R.]

Par`a*mi"tome (?), n. [Pref. para- + mitome.] (Biol.) The fluid portion of the protoplasm of a cell.

||Pa"ra*mo (?), n.; pl. Paramos (#). [Sp. pÊramo.] A high, bleak ||plateau or district, with stunted trees, and cold, damp atmosphere, ||as in the Andes, in South America.

Par"a*morph (?), n. [Pref. para- + Gr. &?; form.] (Min.) A kind of pseudomorph, in which there has been a change of physical characters without alteration of chemical composition, as the change of aragonite to calcite.

Par`a*mor"phism (?), n. (Min.) The change of one mineral species to another, so as to involve a change in physical characters without alteration of chemical composition.

Par`a*mor"phous (?), a. (Min.) Relating to paramorphism; exhibiting paramorphism.

Par"a*mount (?), a. [OF. par amont above; par through, by (L. per) + amont above. See Amount.] Having the highest rank or jurisdiction; superior to all others; chief; supreme; preÎminent; as, a paramount duty. "A traitor paramount." Bacon.

Lady paramount (Archery), the lady making the best score. -- Lord paramount, the king.

Syn. Superior; principal; preÎminent; chief.

Par"a*mount, n. The highest or chief. Milton.

Par"a*mount`ly, adv. In a paramount manner.

Par"a*mour (?), n. [F. par amour, lit., by or with love. See 2d Par, and Amour.] 1. A lover, of either sex; a wooer or a mistress (formerly in a good sense, now only in a bad one); one who takes the place, without possessing the rights, of a husband or wife; -- used of a man or a woman.

The seducer appeared with dauntless front, accompanied by his paramour

Macaulay.

2. Love; gallantry. [Obs.] "For paramour and jollity." Chaucer.

{ Par"a*mour`, Par"a*mours` (?) }, adv. By or with love, esp. the love of the sexes; -- sometimes written as two words. [Obs.]

For par amour, I loved her first ere thou.

Chaucer.

Par*am"y*lum (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. para` beside + &?; starch.] (Chem.) A substance resembling starch, found in the green frothy scum formed on the surface of stagnant water.