'parhelion' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'παρήλιον', where 'para-' meant 'beside' and 'helios' meant 'sun'.

'parhelion' changed from Neo-Latin/Medieval Latin usage based on Greek 'παρήλιον' and was adopted into English (from scientific/astronomical/meteorological Latin) as 'parhelion'.

Initially, it meant 'beside the sun' (a literal compositional sense), but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'an atmospheric optical phenomenon producing one or more mock suns'.