paragraph

n. [ F. paragraphe, LL. paragraphus, fr. Gr. para`grafos (sc. grammh`) a line or stroke drawn in the margin, fr. paragra`fein to write beside; para` beside + gra`fein to write. See Para-, and Graphic, and cf. Paraph. ] 1. Originally, a marginal mark or note, set in the margin to call attention to something in the text, e. g., a change of subject; now, the character ¶, commonly used in the text as a reference mark to a footnote, or to indicate the place of a division into sections. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This character is merely a modification of a capital P (the initial of the word paragraph), the letter being reversed, and the black part made white and the white part black for the sake of distinctiveness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A distinct part of a discourse or writing; any section or subdivision of a writing or chapter which relates to a particular point, whether consisting of one or many sentences. The division is sometimes noted by the mark ¶, but usually, by beginning the first sentence of the paragraph on a new line and at more than the usual distance from the margin, also called indenting the line. See indentation{ 4 }.

3. A brief composition complete in one typographical section or paragraph; an item, remark, or quotation comprised in a few lines forming one paragraph; as, a column of news paragraphs; an editorial paragraph. [ 1913 Webster ]