par|a|gon

par|a|gon «PAR uh gon», noun, adjective, verb, -goned, -gon|ing.

–n.

1. a model of excellence or perfection: »

a paragon of beauty. Winter, the paragon of art, that kills all forms of life…save what is pure and will survive (Roy Campbell).

2. a flawless diamond weighing 100 carats or more.

3. a size of printing type (20 points) twice as large as long primer.

–adj.

of surpassing excellence.

–v.t.

1. Archaic. to parallel; compare.

2. Archaic. to match; mate: »

Pass to join your peers, paragon charm with charm (Robert Browning).

3. Obsolete. to excel; surpass: »

A maid that paragons description (Shakespeare).

4. Obsolete. to set forth as a perfect model.

5. Obsolete. to typify; exemplify.

╂[< Middle French paragon comparison; criterion < Italian parangone (originally) touchstone < Medieval Greek parakone whetstone < Greek parakonân to whet, ultimately < para- on the side + akónē whetstone < ákaina point, barb]