late 14c., "of or pertaining to a parish," from Anglo-French parochiel (early 14c.), from Old French parochial, from Late Latin parochialis "of a parish" (c. 600), from parochia (see parish).
Figurative sense, "limited, narrow," as if confined to a small region, is from 1856 (also see parochialism). Parochial school is attested from 1755.
parochial schools
little sympathy with parochial mentality
parlous
parmenter
Parmesan
Parnassus
Parnellite
parochial
parochialism
parodist
parodize
parody
parol