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par·a·po·di·um

(păr′ə-pōdē-əm)

n. pl. par·a·po·di·a (-dē-ə)

1. One of the fleshy paired appendages of polychaete annelids that function in locomotion and breathing.

2. A winglike extension of the foot of certain gastropods, such as the sea butterflies, used for swimming.

[New Latin : PARA- + Greek pous, pod-, foot; see PODIUM.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

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Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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