paradise

noun

par·​a·​dise ˈper-ə-ˌdīs 

-ˌdīz,

ˈpa-rə-

1

a

: eden sense 2

b

: an intermediate place or state where the souls of the righteous await resurrection and the final judgment

c

: heaven

2

: a place or state of bliss, felicity, or delight

paradisial

ˌper-ə-ˈdi-sē-əl 

-zē-

ˌpa-rə-

adjective

or less commonly paradisical

ˌper-ə-ˈdi-si-kəl 

-zi-,

ˌpa-rə-

Synonyms

• Camelot
• Cockaigne
• Eden
• Elysium
• empyrean
• fantasyland
• heaven
• lotusland
• never-never land
• New Jerusalem
• nirvana
• promised land
• Shangri-la
• utopia
• Zion
• Sion

Examples of paradise in a Sentence

Their marriage was very happy at first, but now there's trouble in paradise.

a marsh that is a birdwatcher's paradise

This shop is an antique collecting paradise!

Recent Examples on the Web

Imagine being transported to a plastic-free paradise. —Will Stone, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024

Then sink into the mineral-rich hot springs at Furnas, where the earth itself simmers beneath your feet, or wander through the botanical paradise of Terra Nostra Park, home to over 600 different types of camellias, one of the largest collections in the world. —Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024

Just under five miles from Brixen, the winter paradise features seven lifts and miles of pistes, hiking trails, and toboggan runs. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 Dec. 2024

After the release of Trouble in Paradise, Chlöe has spent some time in her island paradise of St. Lucia that inspired the project. —Chris Malone Mendez, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English paradis, paradise "the Garden of Eden, heaven," borrowed from Anglo-French paradis, borrowed from Late Latin paradīsus, borrowed from Greek parádeisos "enclosed park or pleasure ground" (Xenophon), "the Garden of Eden" (Septuagint), "the abode of the blessed, heaven" (New Testament), borrowed from an Iranian word (perhaps Median *paridaiza-) cognate with Avestan pairidaēza- "enclosure," nominal derivative of pairidaēz- "build a barrier around," from pairi- "before, around" (going back to Indo-European *per-i, whence also Sanskrit pári "around, about," Greek péri "around, in excess") + -daēza- "heap up, build" (occurring only with prefixes), going back to Indo-European *dhoi̯ǵh-éi̯e-, iterative derivative of *dhei̯ǵh- "knead, shape" — more at peri-, feign

Note: As an independent derivative of the verb, Avestan daēza- "heap, pile (of earth, stones)" has been compared with Greek teîchos (neuter s-stem) "wall, fortification," toîchos (masculine) "wall of a house or enclosure," Sanskrit dehaḥ "body," dehī́ "wall, embankment," Oscan feíhúss (accusative plural) "walls." For a Germanic derivative from the same verbal base with a different sense, see dough.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing paradise

• bird of paradise
• fool's paradise
• grains of paradise
• in paradise

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Kids Definition

paradise

noun

par·​a·​dise ˈpar-ə-ˌdīs 

-ˌdīz

1

: eden sense 2

2

: heaven sense 2

3

: a place or state of great happiness

Etymology

Middle English paradis "the Garden of Eden," from early French paradis (same meaning), from Latin paradisus (same meaning), from Greek paradeisos "Garden of Eden," literally, "enclosed park"

Geographical Definition

Paradise

geographical name

Par·​a·​dise ˈper-ə-ˌdīs 

-ˌdīz,

ˈpa-rə-

1

town in northern California north of Sacramento population 26,218

2

unincorporated population center just south of Las Vegas in southern Nevada population 223,167