1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Parole

PAROLE (shortened from the Fr. parole d’honneur, word of honour), a military term signifying the engagement given by a prisoner of war that if released he will not again take up arms against his captors during the term of engagement or the war, unless previously relieved of the obligation by exchange. “Parole” is also used in the same sense as “word” to imply a watchword or password. The French word, formed from the Late Lat. paraula, parabola, Gr. παραβολή, story, parable, was also adopted into English as “parol,” i.e. verbal, oral, by word of mouth, now only used in the legal term “parol evidence,” i.e. oral as opposed to documentary evidence.