From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishparpar /pɑː $ pɑːr/ noun [uncountable] 1 → be on a par (with something)2 → be below/under par3 → be par for the course4 DSGthe number of strokes a good player should take to hit the ball into a hole in the game of golf The last hole is a par five.5 (also par value technical)BFS the value of a stock or bond that is printed on it when it is first sold bonds sold at 97% of their par valueat/above/below/under par The notes are currently trading at 10% above par. → par excellence
Examples from the Corpus
par• Abdullah was the equivalent of a constable, the most junior career rank, almost on a par with conscripts.• In the nineteenth century the wines of Pierry were considered on a par with the best wines of Aÿ.• On a par with Mom's, the flaky pie goes down smoothly.• Oritz needed only a par to win the tournament.• On the second day 47 players beat par with another 18 again scoring in the 60s for the first time.• He knocked it on to the fairway, hit his third shot on to the green and then two-putted for par.• The stock's par value decreased from $3.14 to 31 cents.• The card reads 6,330 yards, par 68: that's without a par-5.• At 6,352 yards, par 71, it already offers a stern test of technique without being physically onerous.at/above/below/under par• The first score is 1 under par, the second 11 under.• Gary Orr was also under par with a 71.• The bonds are callable at par on Nov. 15,2004.• That's what got me under par today.• Call option at par on Feb. 13,2001.• He certainly seemed below par in the few mid-season matches last year, but the whole team looked poor in those.• Three under par and only three shots behind the leaders, Woods took a triple-bogey six.From Longman Business Dictionaryparpar /pɑːpɑːr/ noun [uncountable]1FINANCE the par value of a bond, share etc is its stated value when it is ISSUED (=sold for the first time). This is not necessarily the actual price paid for it. Bonds, for example, may be sold slightly above or below this value. The par value of bonds is used to calculate YIELD (=their profitability to the investor)SYNFACE AMOUNT, FACE VALUE, NOMINAL VALUEat/above/below/under parThe notes are trading at 10% above par, or $1,100 for each $1,000 face amount.If the bond is trading below par, the issuer is likely to repurchase the bond in the market.The bonds, which carry a coupon of 5.5%, were trading at about 97% of theirpar value.2below/under par (also not up to par) to be less good than usual or below the proper standardSYNSUBPARThe casinos are not performing up to par because the entire economy is suffering.3be on a par (with) to be at the same level, value, or standardThe free trade agreement between the US and Turkey would be on a par with the one the US has signed with Canada.Origin par (1500-1600) Latin “equal” 