parasol

Definitions

para- here means 'guard against / shield' (from Italian parare, 'to ward off') + sōl (sun) = 'sun shield.' A parasol guards you against the sun, just as its rainy cousin the umbrella (root umbra, 'shade') guards against the rain.

Why It Means This

Note that this para- is not the Greek para- ('beside,' as in parallel); it comes from Italian parare, 'to ward off,' the same element in parachute (guard against a fall) and parapet (guard against attack). So parasol literally means 'ward off the sun' — the elegant sunshade of a bygone era.

Example Sentences

• 1.

  She twirled a lace parasol to keep off the afternoon sun.

• 2.

  Guests lounged under colorful parasols by the pool.

Easily Confused

parasol vs umbrella — A parasol shades you from the sun (sol = sun); an umbrella shields you from the rain (umbra = shade). They look alike, but a parasol is light and decorative, used in sunshine, while an umbrella is built to keep off water.