paragrafo

Paragrafo is the Italian term for a paragraph, the basic unit of a written text that typically develops a single idea or part of an argument. A paragraph usually begins on a new line and is set off by indentation or by spacing, depending on the typography.

Etymology: The word derives from Greek para- “beside” and graphein “to write,” via Latin paragrapha and French paragraphe. The modern form was established in early modern printing. In other languages, the equivalent terms include parágrafo in Portuguese and párrafo in Spanish.

Function and structure: A well-formed paragrafo centers on one main idea, often introduced by a topic sentence, followed by supporting details and evidence, then concluding or transitional sentences that link to the next paragraph. Paragraphs contribute to readability, coherence, and the logical flow of a text.

Formatting and usage: In Italian typography, paragrafi are separated by line breaks and may use indentation for the first line; contemporary styles frequently favor spacing between paragraphs. In digital writing, paragraphs are rendered as distinct blocks; HTML represents them with paragraph elements. In legal or scholarly writing, a paragrafo can also denote a subdivision within a larger article or section, sometimes numbered for reference.

See also: Paragraph; Text structure.