Letter P

pachyderm - elephant
pacifist - one who opposes all violence
pacify - appease
pact - agreement
paean - a song of praise
pagan - heathen, ungodly
page - attendant
pageant - exhibition, show
pains - great effort, attention to detail
painstaking - taking great care, thorough
palatial - grand, splendid
palaver - babble, nonsense
Paleolithic - stone age
paleontologist - one who studies fossils
pall - to become dull or weary
palliate - assuage
pallid - pale, sallow
palpable - touchable
palpitate - beat, throb
palsy - paralysis
paltry - scarce
pan - criticize
panacea - cure-all
panache - flamboyance
pandemic - widespread, plague
pandemonium - din, commotion
pander - cater to people’s baser instincts
panegyric - praise
pang - short sharp pain
panoply - full suit of armor
panorama - vista
pant - gasp, puff
pantomime - mime
pantry - storeroom
papyrus - paper
parable - allegory
paradigm - a model
paragon - standard of excellence
parameter - limit
paramount - chief, foremost
paramour - lover
paranoid - obsessively suspicious, demented
paranormal - supernatural
parapet - rampart, defense
paraphernalia - equipment
paraphrase - restatement
parcel - package
parchment - paper
pare - peel
parenthetical - in parentheses
pariah - outcast
parish - fold, church
parity - equality
parlance - local speech
parlay - increase
parley - conference
parochial - provincial
parody - imitation, ridicule
parole - release
paroxysm - outburst, convulsion
parrot - mimic
parry - avert, ward off
parsimonious - stingy
parson - clergyman
partake - share, receive, consume
partial - incomplete
partiality - bias
parting - farewell, severance
partisan - supporter
partition - division
parvenu - newcomer, social climber
pasquinade - satire
passé - outmoded
passim - here and there
pastel - pale
pasteurize - disinfect
pastoral - rustic
patent - obvious
paternal - fatherly
pathetic - pitiful
pathogen - agent causing disease
pathogenic - causing disease
pathos - emotion
patrician - aristocrat
patrimony - inheritance
patronize - condescend
patronymic - a name formed form the name of a father
patter - walk lightly
paucity - scarcity
paunch - stomach
pauper - poor person
pavilion - tent
pawn (noun) - tool, stooge
pawn (verb) - pledge
pax - peace
peaked - wan, pale, haggard
peal - reverberation, outburst
peccadillo - a minor fault
peculate - embezzle
peculiar - unusual
peculiarity - characteristic
pedagogical - pertaining to teaching
pedagogue - dull, formal teacher
pedant - pedagogue
pedantic - bookish
peddle - sell
pedestrian - common
pedigree - genealogy
peerage - aristocracy
peevish - cranky
pejorative - insulting
pell-mell - in a confused manner
pellucid - transparent
pen - write
penance - atonement
penchant - inclination
pend - depend, hang
pending - not decided, awaiting
penitent - repentant
pensive - sad
penurious - stingy
penury - poverty
peon - common worker
per - se in itself
perceptive - discerning
percolate - ooze, permeate
perdition - damnation
peregrination - wandering
peremptory - dictatorial
perennial - enduring, lasting
perfectionist - purist, precisionist
perfidious - trencture
perforce - by necessity
perfunctory - careless
perigee - point nearest to the earth
perilous - dangerous
peripatetic - walking about
periphery - outer boundary
perish - die
perishable - decomposable
perjury - lying
permeate - spread throughout
permutation - reordering
pernicious - destructive, evil
peroration - conclusion
perpendicular - at right angles
perpetrate - commit
perpetual - continuous, everlasting
perpetuate - cause to continue
perpetuity - eternity
perplex - puzzle, bewilder
perquisite - reward, bonus
persecute - harass
persevere - persist, endure
persona - social facade
personable - charming, friendly
personage - official, dignitary
personify - embody, exemplify
personnel - employees
perspicacious - keen
perspicacity - discernment, keenness
persuasive - convincing
pert - flippant, bold
pertain - to relate
pertinacious - persevering
pertinent - relevant
perturbation - agitation
peruse - read carefully
pervade - permeate
pessimist - cynic, naysayer
pestilence - disease
petite - small
petition - a written request
petrify - calcify, shock
petrology - study of rocks
pettifogger - unscrupulous lawyer
petty - trivial, niggling
petulant - irritable, peevish
phantasm - apparition
phenomena - unusual natural events
philanthropic - charitable
philanthropist - altruist
philatelist - stamp collector
philippic - invective
Philistine - barbarian
philosophical - contemplative
phlegmatic - sluggish
phobia - fear
phoenix - rebirth
physic - laxative, cathartic
physique - frame, musculature
picaresque - roguish, adventurous
picayune - trifling
piecemeal - one at a time
pied - mottled, brindled
piety - devoutness
pilfer - steal
pillage - plunder
pillory - punish by ridicule
pine - languish, to long for someone or something
pinnacle - highest point
pious - devout, holy
piquant - tart-tasting, spicy
pique - sting, arouse interest
piscine - pertaining to fish
piteous - sorrowful, pathetic
pithy - concise
pitiable - miserable, wretched
pittance - alms, driblet
pittance - trifle
pivotal - crucial
pixilated - eccentric, possessed
placard - poster
placate - appease
placid - serene
plagiarize - pirate, counterfeit
plaintive - expressing sorrow
platitude - trite remark
platonic - nonsexual
plaudit - acclaim
pleasantry - banter, persiflage
plebeian - common, vulgar
plebiscite - referendum
plenary - full
plentiful - abundant
pleonasm - redundancy, verbosity
plethora - overabundance
pliable - flexible
pliant - supple, flexible
plight - sad situation
plucky - courageous
plumb - measure
plummet - sudden shart fall
plutocrat - wealthy person
plutonium - radioactive material
poach - steal
podgy - fat
podium - stand, rostrum
pogrom - massacre, mass murder
poignant - pungent, sharp, heartbreaking
polemic - a controversy
polity - methods of government
poltroon - dastard
polychromatic - many-colored
polygamist - one who has many wives
ponder - muse, reflect
ponderous - heavy, bulky
pontiff - bishop
pontificate - to speak at length
pootroon - coward
porcine - pig-like
porous - permeable, spongy
porridge - stew
portend - signify, augur
portent - omen
portly - large
portmanteau - suitcase
posit - stipulate
posterior - rear, subsequent
posterity - future generations
posthaste - hastily
posthumous - after death
postulate - supposition, premise
potent - powerful
potentate - sovereign, king
potion - brew
potpourri - medley
potter - aimlessly busy
pragmatic - practical
prate - babble
prattle - chatter
preamble - introduction
precarious - dangerous, risky
precedent - an act that serves as an example
precept - principle, law
precinct - neighborhood
precipice - cliff
precipitate - cause
precipitous - steep
précis - summary
precise - accurate, detailed
preclude - prevent
precocious - more developed than is
expected at a particular age
preconception - prejudgment, prejudice
precursor - forerunner
predacious - plundering
predecessor - one who proceeds
predestine - foreordain
predicament - quandary
predicate - to base an opinion on something
predilection - inclination
predisposed - inclined
preeminent - supreme
preempt - commandeer
preen - groom
prefabricated - ready-built
prefect - magistrate
preference - choice
preferment - promotion
prelate - primate, bishop
preliminary - introductory
prelude - introduction
premeditate - plan in advance
premonition - warning
prenatal - before birth
preponderance - predominance
prepossessing - appealing, charming
preposterous - ridiculous
prerequisite - requirement
prerogative - right, privilege
presage - omen
prescribe - urge
presentable - acceptable, well-mannered
preside - direct, chair
pressing - urgent
prestidigitator - magician
prestige - reputation, renown
presume - assume, deduce
presumptuous - assuming, overconfident
presuppose - assume
pretense - affectation, excuse
pretentious - affected, inflated
preternatural - abnormal, supernatural
pretext - excuse
prevail - triumph
prevailing - common, current
prevalent - widespread
prevaricate - lie
prick - puncture
priggish - pedantic, affected
prim - formal, prudish
primal - first, beginning
primate - head, master
primogeniture - first-born child
primp - groom
princely - regal, generous
prismatic - many-colored, sparkling
pristine - pure, unspoiled
privation - hardship
privy - aware of private matters
probe - examine
probity - integrity
problematic - uncertain, difficult
proboscis - snout
procedure - method, process
proceeds - profit
proclaim - announce
proclivity - inclination
procreate - beget
proctor - supervise
procure - acquire
procurer - pander
prod - urge
prodigal - wasteful
prodigious - marvelous, enormous
prodigy - a person with extraordinary ability or talent
profane - blasphemous
profess - affirm, admit
proffer - bring forward for consideration
proficient - skillful
profiteer - extortionist
profligate - licentious, prodigal
profound - deep, knowledgeable
profusion - overabundance
progenitor - ancestor
progeny - children
prognosis - forecast
prognosticate - foretell
progressive - advancing, liberal
proletariat - working class
proliferate - increase rapidly
prolific - fruitful, productive
prolix - long-winded
prologue - introduction
prolong - lengthen in time
promenade - stroll, parade
promethean - inspirational
promiscuous - sexually indiscreet
promontory - headland, cape
prompt - induce
prompter - reminder
promulgate - publish, disseminate
prone - inclined, predisposed
propaganda - publicity, misinformation
propellant - rocket fuel
propensity - inclination
prophet - prognosticator
prophylactic - preventive
propinquity - nearness
propitiate - satisfy
propitious - auspicious, favorable
proponent - supporter, advocate
proportionate - commensurate
proposition - offer, proposal
propound - propose
proprietor - manager, owner
propriety - decorum
prosaic - uninspired, flat
proscenium - platform, rostrum
proscribe - prohibit
proselytize - recruit, convert
prosody - study of poetic structure
prospective - expected, imminent
prospectus - brochure
prostrate - supine
protagonist - main character in a story
protean - changing readily
protégé - ward, pupil
protocol - code of diplomatic etiquette
proton - particle
protract - prolong
protuberance - bulge
provender - food
proverb - maxim
proverbial - well-known
providence - foresight, divine protection
provident - having foresight, thrifty
providential - fortunate
province - bailiwick, district
provincial - intolerant, insular
provisional - temporary
proviso - stipulation
provisory - conditional
provocation - incitement
provocative - titillating
provoke - incite
prowess - strength, expertise
proximity - nearness
proxy - substitute, agent
prude - puritan
prudence - discretion, carefulness
prudent - cautious, using good judgment
prudish - puritanical
prurient - lewd
pseudo - false
pseudonym - alias
psychic - pertaining the psyche or mind
psychopath - madman
psychotic - demented
puberty - adolescence
puckish - impish, mischievous
puerile - childish
pugilism - boxing
pugnacious - combative
puissant - strong
pulchritude - beauty
pulp - paste, mush
pulpit - platform, priesthood
pulsate - throb
pulverize - crush
pun - wordplay
punctilious - meticulous
pundit - learned or politically astute person
pungent - sharp smell or taste
punitive - punishing
puny - weak, small
purblind - obtuse, stupid
purgative - cathartic, cleansing
purgatory - limbo, netherworld
purge - cleanse, remove
puritanical - prim
purlieus - environs, surroundings
purloin - steal
purport - claim to be
purported - rumored
purposefu -l determined
pursuant - following, according
purvey - deliver, provide
purview - range of understanding, field
pusillanimous - cowardly
putative - reputed
putrefy - decay
putsch - a sudden attempt to overthrow a government
pygmy - dwarf
pyrotechnics - fireworks
pyrrhic - a battle won with unacceptable losses