pa

name

1. (abbreviation, alt-of)Abbreviation of Pennsylvania: a state of the United States.

   “Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit? / Heard about Pittsburgh, PA?”

2. (abbreviation, alt-of)Abbreviation of Papua: a province of Indonesia.
3. (abbreviation, alt-of)Abbreviation of Pará: a state of Brazil.
4. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Palestinian Authority.

   “The European Union was more restrained in its support, on the grounds that it would be preferable for Israel to negotiate its withdrawal as part of an agreement with the PA. The PA and Arab governments criticized Sharon for planning to act without consulting them.”

   “He believes that the PA is more entrenched inside Gaza than recognised, saying that, despite being ejected from Gaza as a political and security force in 2007, the PA was still delivering many public services including health and schools in Gaza.”

5. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Proto-Algonquian (sometimes abbreviated PAn to distinguish it from Proto-Algic, but usually just abbreviated PA with Proto-Algic being abbreviated PAc).
6. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Proto-Algic (sometimes abbreviated PAc to distinguish it from Proto-Algonquian).
7. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Proto-Athabaskan.
8. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Prince Albert: a city in Saskatchewan, Canada.

noun

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of public address.

   ““Shuttle sensors detect no communications, heat signatures out of the ordinary, or other signals,” SAM-E said over the shuttle’s PA.”

2. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of production assistant.
3. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of personal assistant.

   “Jen: Douglas has asked me to be his PA. Moss: Oh. My. God! Well, that is something and a half. His PA? How... Whoa! His PA... Shut up! His PA! Jen: It means "personal assistant". Moss: Thank you. Right, OK.”

4. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of personal appearance (when a celebrity visits a public event).
5. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of power amplifier.
6. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of Prince Albert (“genital piercing”).
7. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of public accountant.
8. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of public act.
9. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of physician assistant.
10. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of physician associate.
11. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of polyamide.
12. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of pyrrolizidine alkaloid.
13. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of Peano arithmetic.
14. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of pulmonary artery.
15. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of Parental Accompaniment.
16. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of precision agriculture.
17. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable)Initialism of points against.

    “Coordinate term: PF”

    “The Giants and Commanders have the same record after 13 games each. However, Washington has control of third place in the NFC East due to a better PF/PA record in comparison to the Giants.”

18. (colloquial)Father, papa.
19. (colloquial)Grandpa, grandfather.
20. (New-Zealand, historical)A fortified Maori settlement, especially of pre-European times.

    “The very existence of fortified pā was often a sign that those who lived near such complexes sought to discourage attack and wanted to make conflict less likely, not more so.”

    “A pa or Māori defence fortification appears at a height on the hill above the bay.”

21. (New-Zealand)Any Maori village or settlement; a kainga.
22. (informal, uncountable)Father, dad, papa.

    “Hey, Pa, I'd like you to meet my friend.”

23. (uncountable)A short form of grandpa; grandfather.

adj

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, not-comparable)Initialism of posteroanterior.

phrase

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of per annum.

   “an interest rate of 3% PA”