Paroikia
/pəˈrɔɪ.ki.ə/noun
A Greek-derived term meaning sojourning, residence as a stranger, or a parish in later Christian usage.
Did you know?In early Christian Greek, paroikia described life as a temporary stay among strangers, which is why its descendant “parish” once carried a sense of being a community of pilgrims, not just a church district.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“to pass over, through, or beyond”
Ancient Greek
Greek
παροικία (paroikía)
“dwelling beside, sojourning, residence in a foreign land”
Late Antiquity
Greek
παροικία (paroikía)
“the condition of living as a stranger; a Christian community or diocese”
Old French
Old French
paroisse
“a parish”
Middle English
English
parisshe / parish
“a church district or local ecclesiastical community”
Modern English
English
parish
“an administrative church district, especially in some Christian traditions”