What does the prefix para translated from french mean?

Answer 1

the prefix has two origins: greek and latin.

1 Greek para ("close to, near / nearly")

- carries the idea of "close to, nearly" : paramilitaire, paragouvernemental.

-carries the idea of abnormality (deviation from the norm)

(link for a list of examples in French)

2 Latin parare (thwart, parry)

- indicates some protection from; ("parapluie" protects from the rain; parachute, parasol, paratonnerre, paravent...)

- from the word parachute, indicates some relation with the fact of coming down the skies.