parataxis

/paɹəˈtaksɪs/

//paɹəˈtaksɪs// noun

"parataxis" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“parataxis” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Speech or writing in which clauses or phrases are placed together without being separated by conjunctions, for example "I came; I saw; I conquered".

Corpus desk

Index EN-parataxis · parataxis · English

parataxis · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for parataxis
PropertyValue
Headwordparataxis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/paɹəˈtaksɪs/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “parataxis” in English

parataxisranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

parataxis is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /paɹəˈtaksɪs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for parataxis in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παράταξις (parátaxis, “placement side by side”), from παρα- (para-) + τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”); equivalent to para- + taxis. The correct English form is parataxis, spelled P-A-R-A-T-A-X-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Speech or writing in which clauses or phrases are placed together without being separated by conjunctions, for example "I came; I saw; I conquered".
  2. 2
    The juxtaposition of two images or fragments, usually starkly dissimilar, without a clear connection.
  3. 3
    A coalition or "partisan camp" in the Ancient Greek political system.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παράταξις (parátaxis, “placement side by side”), from παρα- (para-) + τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”); equivalent to para- + taxis.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "parataxis"?
"parataxis" is spelled P-A-R-A-T-A-X-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /paɹəˈtaksɪs/.
What does "parataxis" mean?
As a noun, "parataxis" means: Speech or writing in which clauses or phrases are placed together without being separated by conjunctions, for example "I came; I saw; I conquered".
How do you pronounce "parataxis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "parataxis" is /paɹəˈtaksɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "parataxis"?
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παράταξις (parátaxis, “placement side by side”), from παρα- (para-) + τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”); equivalent to para- + taxis. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list