# pare

> English word · Verb · IPA /pɛə/ · frequency rank #37,620

## Definitions
1. To remove the outer covering or skin of something with a cutting device, typically a knife.
2. To reduce, diminish or trim gradually something as if by cutting off.
3. To trim the hoof of a horse.
4. To sharpen a pencil.

## Etymology
From Middle English paren, from Old French parer (“to arrange, prepare, trim”), from Latin parō (“I prepare, arrange; I provide, furnish; I resolve, purpose”) (related to pariō (“I bear, I give birth to; I spawn, produce, beget; I procure, acquire”)), from a Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to bring forward, bring forth”).

## Easily confused with
- **PR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pr)
- **PE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pe)
- **per** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-per)
- **pay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pay)
- **pro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pro)
- **pat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pat)
- **pie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pie)
- **pee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pee)
- **pas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pas)
- **Poe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-poe)
- **paw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-paw)
- **pax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pax)
- **PCR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pcr)
- **Paz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-paz)
- **PRC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-prc)
- **pry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pry)
- **pau** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pau)
- **PRA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pra)
- **pur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-pur)
- **PRS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pare-vs-prs)

## Common misspellings (4)
`apre`, `parre`, `ppare`, `prae`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pare