Paragraph Definition, Examples & Writing Tips

Meaning 1：section of text (paragraph)

paragraph 🔊

/ˈpær.ə.ɡræf/

A part of a piece of writing that starts on a new line and usually deals with one main idea.

Paragraph structure example showing indented text blocks on a page

section of text 🔊

➕

/ˈsek.ʃən əv tɛkst/

A distinct block of text in a document, usually consisting of several sentences focused on a single topic or idea, separated by line breaks or indentation.

📁 Category：Language Evolution 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Greek 'paragraphos': 'para-' (beside) + 'graphein' (to write). Originally a mark in the margin.

💡 Mnemonic

Para (beside) + graph (writing) = a side unit of writing. Imagine 'pair' of sentences grouped.

📖 Example

My teacher said the second paragraph of my essay was very clear and convincing. 🔊 My teacher said the second paragraph of my essay was very clear and convincing.

🔗 Collocations

new paragraph – a paragraph that starts a new topic or section

opening paragraph – the first paragraph of a piece of writing

closing paragraph – the last paragraph that summarizes or concludes

🔄 Synonyms

section (n.) – a part of a larger text

passage (n.) – a piece of writing

portion (n.) – a segment of a text

🌱 Derivatives

paragraphic (adj.) – relating to paragraphs

paragraphing (n.) – the act of dividing text into paragraphs

paragrapher (n.) – a person who writes paragraphs

📖 Cultural Story

The word comes from Greek 'paragraphos', a stroke drawn beside a line to mark a new section. In modern English, paragraphs are foundational in academic and journalistic writing for organizing ideas.