1. A model of excellence or perfection of a kind; a peerless example: a paragon of virtue.
2. 1. An unflawed diamond weighing at least 100 carats.
   2. A very large spherical pearl.
3. Printing. A type size of 20 points.

1. To compare; parallel.
2. To equal; match.

[Obsolete French, from Old French, from Old Italian paragone, from paragonare, to test on a touchstone, perhaps from Greek parakonān, to sharpen : para-, alongside; see para-¹ + akonē, whetstone.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.