English edit

Etymology edit

From Ancient Greek πάρεργον (párergon, subordinate or secondary business; by-work), neuter of πάρεργος (párergos, beside the main subject, subordinate, incidental).

Noun edit

parergon (plural parergons or parerga)

  1. A piece of work that is supplementary to or a byproduct of a larger work.
    • 1945, J.C. Masterman, The Double-Cross System:
      [] the running and control of double agents is a[n] [] infinitely complicated task. It could not be done as a parergon by any intelligence department elsewhere []