papa

noun

1. father.
2. (initial capital letter) a code word used in communications, especially by radio, to represent the letter P.

noun

1. old-fashioned an informal word for father (def. 1)

noun

1. RC Church another name for the pope 1 (def. 1)

noun

1. NZ rare. a soft blue-grey clay of marine siltstone or sandstone

noun

1. communications a code word for the letter p

n.“father,” 1680s, from French papa, from Latin papa, originally a child’s word, cf. Greek pappa (vocative) “o father,” pappas “father,” pappos “grandfather.” The native word is daddy; first use of papa was in courtly speech, as a continental affectation, not used by common folk until late 18c.