"surgical perforation of a cavity of the body for the purpose of evacuation of effused fluid," 1590s, from the medical Latin form of Greek parakentēsis "perforation," from parakentein "to tap," literally "to pierce at the side," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + kentein "to prick, stab" (see center (n.)).
Parabellum
parable
parabola
parabole
parabolic
paracentesis
parachronism
parachute
paraclete
parade
paradigm