Pappa
/ˈpæpə/noun
An old-fashioned or dialectal English word for father.
Did you know?Greek pap-pas, meaning “father,” became a title for Christian bishops and ultimately developed into English pope.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
πάππας (pappas)
“Father; an affectionate or child-language form used as a title for a bishop”
Late Antiquity
Greek/Latin
papa
“Father; an honorific title for Christian clergy, especially bishops”
Early Medieval Period
Latin
papa
“A title for the bishop of Rome, among other ecclesiastical uses”
Old French
Old French
papa
“Father; an affectionate family term”
Middle English
English
pappa
“A variant form of papa, meaning father”
Modern English
English
pappa
“An old-fashioned or dialectal term for father”