The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Paradise \Par"a*dise\ (p[a^]r"[.a]*d[imac]s), n. [OE. & F.
paradis, L. paradisus, fr. Gr. para`deisos park, paradise,
fr. Zend pairida[=e]za an inclosure; pairi around (akin to
Gr. peri`) + diz to throw up, pile up; cf. Skr. dih to smear,
and E. dough. Cf. Parvis.]
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1. The garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve were placed
after their creation.
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2. The abode of sanctified souls after death.
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To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. --Luke
xxiii. 43.
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It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise. --Longfellow.
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3. A place of bliss; a region of supreme felicity or delight;
hence, a state of happiness.
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The earth
Shall be all paradise. --Milton.
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Wrapt in the very paradise of some creative vision.
--Beaconsfield.
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4. (Arch.) An open space within a monastery or adjoining a
church, as the space within a cloister, the open court
before a basilica, etc.
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5. A churchyard or cemetery. [Obs.] --Oxf. Gloss.
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Fool's paradise. See under Fool, and Limbo.
Grains of paradise. (Bot.) See Melequeta pepper, under
Pepper.
Paradise bird. (Zool.) Same as Bird of paradise. Among
the most beautiful species are the superb (Lophorina
superba); the magnificent (Diphyllodes magnifica); and
the six-shafted paradise bird (Parotia sefilata). The
long-billed paradise birds (Epimachin[ae]) also include
some highly ornamental species, as the twelve-wired
paradise bird (Seleucides alba), which is black, yellow,
and white, with six long breast feathers on each side,
ending in long, slender filaments. See Bird of paradise
in the Vocabulary.
Paradise fish (Zool.), a beautiful fresh-water Asiatic fish
(Macropodus viridiauratus) having very large fins. It is
often kept alive as an ornamental fish.
Paradise flycatcher (Zool.), any flycatcher of the genus
Terpsiphone, having the middle tail feathers extremely
elongated. The adult male of Terpsiphone paradisi is
white, with the head glossy dark green, and crested.
Paradise grackle (Zool.), a very beautiful bird of New
Guinea, of the genus Astrapia, having dark velvety
plumage with brilliant metallic tints.
Paradise nut (Bot.), the sapucaia nut. See Sapucaia nut.
[Local, U. S.]
Paradise whidah bird. (Zool.) See Whidah.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Bird of paradise \Bird" of par"a*dise\ (Zool.)
The name of several very beautiful birds of the genus
Paradisea and allied genera, inhabiting New Guinea and the
adjacent islands. The males have brilliant colors, elegant
plumes, and often remarkable tail feathers.
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Note: The Great emerald (Paradisea apoda) and the Lesser
emerald (Paradisea minor) furnish many of the plumes
used as ornaments by ladies; the Red bird of paradise
is Paradisea rubra or Paradisea sanguinea; the
Golden bird of paradise is Parotia aurea or
Parotia sexsetacea; the King bird of paradise is
Cincinnurus regius. The name is also applied to the
longer-billed birds of another related group
(Epimachin[ae]) from the same region. The
Twelve-wired bird of paradise (Seleucides alba) is
one of these. See Paradise bird, and Note under
Apod.
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