| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| peaceable | adjective | Begin in or at peace; tranquil; quiet; free from, or not disposed to, war, disorder, or excitement; not quarrelsome. |
| peaceless | adjective | Without peace; disturbed. |
| pearlfish | noun | Any fish whose scales yield a pearl-like pigment used in manufacturing artificial pearls, as the bleak, and whitebait. |
| pearlings | noun pl. | A kind of lace of silk or thread. |
| pearlwort | noun | A name given to several species of Sagina, low and inconspicuous herbs of the Chickweed family. |
| peasantly | adjective | Peasantlike. |
| peasantry | noun | Peasants, collectively; the body of rustics., Rusticity; coarseness. |
| peccantly | adverb | In a peccant manner. |
| peccaries | plural | of Peccary |
| pectinate | adjective | Alt. of Pectinated |
| pectineal | adjective | Of or pertaining to the pecten., Relating to, or connected with, the pubic bone. |
| pectolite | noun | A whitish mineral occurring in radiated or fibrous crystalline masses. It is a hydrous silicate of lime and soda. |
| peculated | imp. & past participle | of Peculate |
| peculator | noun | One who peculates. |
| pecuniary | adjective | Relating to money; monetary; as, a pecuniary penalty; a pecuniary reward. |
| pecunious | adjective | Abounding in money; wealthy; rich. |
| pedagogic | adjective | See Pedagogics., Alt. of Pedagogical |
| pedagogue | noun | A slave who led his master’s children to school, and had the charge of them generally., A teacher of children; one whose occupation is to teach the young; a schoolmaster., One who by teaching has become formal, positive, or pedantic in his ways; one who has the manner of a schoolmaster; a pedant., To play the pedagogue toward. |
| pedaneous | adjective | Going on foot; pedestrian. |
| pedantism | noun | The office, disposition, or act of a pedant; pedantry. |
| pedantize | verb i. | To play the pedant; to use pedantic expressions. |
| pedatifid | adjective | Cleft in a pedate manner, but having the lobes distinctly connected at the base; — said of a leaf. |
| pederasty | noun | The crime against nature; sodomy. |
| pediceled | adjective | Pedicellate. |
| pedicular | adjective | Of or pertaining to lice; having the lousy distemper (phthiriasis); lousy. |
| pediculus | noun | A genus of wingless parasitic Hemiptera, including the common lice of man. See Louse. |
| pedipalpi | n pl. | A division of Arachnida, including the whip scorpions (Thelyphonus) and allied forms. Sometimes used in a wider sense to include also the true scorpions., of Pedipalpus |
| pedomancy | noun | Divination by examining the soles of the feet. |
| pedometer | noun | An instrument for including the number of steps in walking, and so ascertaining the distance passed over. It is usually in the form of a watch; an oscillating weight by the motion of the body causes the index to advance a certain distance at each step. |
| peduncled | adjective | Having a peduncle; supported on a peduncle; pedunculate. |
| peelhouse | noun | See 1st Peel. |
| peevishly | adverb | In a peevish manner. |
| pegmatite | noun | Graphic granite. See under Granite., More generally, a coarse granite occurring as vein material in other rocks. |
| pegtatoid | adjective | Resembling pegmatite; pegmatic. |
| pegomancy | noun | Divination by fountains. |
| peirastic | adjective | Fitted for trail or test; experimental; tentative; treating of attempts. |
| pelasgian | adjective | Alt. of Pelasgic |
| pelegrine | adjective | See Peregrine. |
| pellagrin | noun | One who is afficted with pellagra. |
| pellitory | noun | The common name of the several species of the genus Parietaria, low, harmless weeds of the Nettle family; — also called wall pellitory, and lichwort., A composite plant (Anacyclus Pyrethrum) of the Mediterranean region, having finely divided leaves and whitish flowers. The root is the officinal pellitory, and is used as an irritant and sialogogue. Called also bertram, and pellitory of Spain., The feverfew (Chrysanthemum Parthenium); — so called because it resembles the above. |
| pell-mell | noun | See Pall-mall. |
| peltiform | adjective | Shieldlike, with the outline nearly circular; peltate. |
| pemphigus | noun | A somewhat rare skin disease, characterized by the development of blebs upon different part of the body. |
| penalties | plural | of Penalty |
| pencilled | of Pencil | |
| penciling | present participle & vb. noun | of Pencil, The work of the pencil or bruch; as, delicate penciling in a picture., Lines of white or black paint drawn along a mortar joint in a brick wall. |
| pendently | adverb | In a pendent manner. |
| pendicler | noun | An inferior tenant; one who rents a pendicle or croft. |
| pendragon | noun | A chief leader or a king; a head; a dictator; — a title assumed by the ancient British chiefs when called to lead other chiefs. |
| pendulate | verb i. | To swing as a pendulum. |
| penduline | noun | A European titmouse (Parus, / Aegithalus, pendulinus). It is noted for its elegant pendulous purselike nest, made of the down of willow trees and lined with feathers. |
| pendulous | adjective | Depending; pendent loosely; hanging; swinging., Wavering; unstable; doubtful., Inclined or hanging downwards, as a flower on a recurved stalk, or an ovule which hangs from the upper part of the ovary. |
| pendulums | plural | of Pendulum |
| penetrail | noun | Penetralia. |
| penetrant | adjective | Having power to enter or pierce; penetrating; sharp; subtile; as, penetrant cold. |
| penetrate | verb t. | To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates darkness., To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to touch with feeling; to make sensible; to move deeply; as, to penetrate one’s heart with pity., To pierce into by the mind; to arrive at the inner contents or meaning of, as of a mysterious or difficult subject; to comprehend; to understand., To pass; to make way; to pierce. Also used figuratively. |
| penholder | noun | A handle for a pen. |
| peninsula | noun | A portion of land nearly surrounded by water, and connected with a larger body by a neck, or isthmus. |
| penitence | noun | The quality or condition of being penitent; the disposition of a penitent; sorrow for sins or faults; repentance; contrition. |
| penitency | noun | Penitence. |
| penknives | plural | of Penknife |
| pennached | adjective | Variegated; striped. |
| pennatula | noun | Any one of numerous species of Pennatula, Pteroides, and allied genera of Alcyonaria, having a featherlike form; a sea-pen. The zooids are situated along one edge of the side branches. |
| penniform | adjective | Having the form of a feather or plume. |
| penniless | adjective | Destitute of money; impecunious; poor. |
| pennoncel | noun | Alt. of Pennoncelle |
| pennywort | noun | A European trailing herb (Linaria Cymbalaria) with roundish, reniform leaves. It is often cultivated in hanging baskets. |
| pensative | adjective | Pensive. |
| pensioned | imp. & past participle | of Pension |
| pensioner | noun | One in receipt of a pension; hence, figuratively, a dependent., One of an honorable band of gentlemen who attend the sovereign of England on state occasions, and receive an annual pension, or allowance, of £150 and two horses., In the university of Cambridge, England, one who pays for his living in commons; — corresponding to commoner at Oxford. |
| pensively | adverb | In a pensive manner. |
| pentacron | noun | A solid having five summits or angular points. |
| pentaglot | noun | A work in five different tongues. |
| pentagram | noun | A pentacle or a pentalpha. |
| pentalpha | noun | A five-pointed star, resembling five alphas joined at their bases; — used as a symbol. |
| pentamera | noun pl. | An extensive division of Coleoptera, including those that normally have five-jointed tarsi. It embraces about half of all the known species of the Coleoptera. |
| pentangle | noun | A pentagon. |
| pentapody | noun | A measure or series consisting of five feet. |
| pentarchy | noun | A government in the hands of five persons; five joint rulers. |
| pentecost | noun | A solemn festival of the Jews; — so called because celebrated on the fiftieth day (seven weeks) after the second day of the Passover (which fell on the sixteenth of the Jewish month Nisan); — hence called, also, the Feast of Weeks. At this festival an offering of the first fruits of the harvest was made. By the Jews it was generally regarded as commemorative of the gift of the law on the fiftieth day after the departure from Egypt., A festival of the Roman Catholic and other churches in commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles; which occurred on the day of Pentecost; — called also Whitsunday. |
| penthouse | noun | A shed or roof sloping from the main wall or building, as over a door or window; a lean-to. Also figuratively., Leaning; overhanging. |
| pentoxide | noun | An oxide containing five atoms of oxygen in each molecule; as, phosphorus pentoxide, P2O5. |
| pentrough | noun | A penstock. |
| penultima | noun | Same as Penult. |
| penurious | adjective | Excessively sparing in the use of money; sordid; stingy; miserly., Not bountiful or liberal; scanty., Destitute of money; suffering extreme want. |
| peppering | present participle & vb. noun | of Pepper, Hot; pungent; peppery. |
| peptonize | verb t. | To convert into peptone; to digest or dissolve by means of a proteolytic ferment; as, peptonized food. |
| peptonoid | noun | A substance related to peptone. |
| peraeopod | noun | One of the thoracic legs of a crustacean. See Illust. of Crustacea. |
| peragrate | verb t. | To travel over or through. |
| perameles | noun | Any marsupial of the genus Perameles, which includes numerous species found in Australia. They somewhat resemble rabbits in size and form. See Illust. under Bandicoot. |
| perbromic | adjective | Pertaining to, or designating, the highest oxygen acid, HBrO4, of bromine. |
| percaline | noun | A fine kind of French cotton goods, usually of one color. |
| perceived | imp. & past participle | of Perceive |
| perceiver | noun | One who perceives (in any of the senses of the verb). |
| perchance | adverb | By chance; perhaps; peradventure. |
| percheron | noun | One of a breed of draught horses originating in Perche, an old district of France; — called also Percheron-Norman. |
| perciform | adjective | Pertaining to the Perciformes. |
| percoidea | noun pl. | Same as Perciformes. |
| percolate | verb t. | To cause to pass through fine interstices, as a liquor; to filter; to strain., To pass through fine interstices; to filter; as, water percolates through porous stone. |
| percussed | imp. & past participle | of Percuss |
| perdicine | adjective | Of or pertaining to the family Perdicidae, or partridges. |
| perdifoil | noun | A deciduous plant; — opposed to evergreen. |
| perdition | noun | Entire loss; utter destruction; ruin; esp., the utter loss of the soul, or of final happiness in a future state; future misery or eternal death., Loss of diminution. |
| perdulous | adjective | Lost; thrown away. |
| peregrine | adjective | Foreign; not native; extrinsic or from without; exotic., The peregrine falcon. |
| perennial | adjective | ing or continuing through the year; as, perennial fountains., Continuing without cessation or intermission; perpetual; unceasing; never failing., Continuing more than two years; as, a perennial steam, or root, or plant., A perennial plant; a plant which lives or continues more than two years, whether it retains its leaves in winter or not. |
| perennity | noun | The quality of being perennial. |
| perfected | imp. & past participle | of Perfect |
| perfecter | noun | One who, or that which, makes perfect. |
| perfectly | adverb | In a perfect manner or degree; in or to perfection; completely; wholly; throughly; faultlessly. |
| perfervid | adjective | Very fervid; too fervid; glowing; ardent. |
| perfidies | plural | of Perfidy |
| perflable | adjective | Capable of being blown through. |
| perforata | noun pl. | A division of corals including those that have a porous texture, as Porites and Madrepora; — opposed to Aporosa., A division of Foraminifera, including those having perforated shells. |
| perforate | verb | To bore through; to pierce through with a pointed instrument; to make a hole or holes through by boring or piercing; to pierce or penetrate the surface of., Alt. of Perforated |
| performed | imp. & past participle | of Perform |
| performer | noun | One who performs, accomplishes, or fulfills; as, a good promiser, but a bad performer; especially, one who shows skill and training in any art; as, a performer of the drama; a performer on the harp. |
| perfuming | present participle & vb. noun | of Perfume |
| perfumery | noun | Perfumes, in general., The art of preparing perfumes. |
| perfusing | present participle & vb. noun | of Perfuse |
| perfusion | noun | The act of perfusing. |
| perfusive | adjective | Of a nature to flow over, or to spread through. |
| periauger | noun | See Pirogue. |
| periblast | adjective | The protoplasmic matter which surrounds the entoblast, or cell nucleus, and undergoes segmentation. |
| peribolos | noun | In ancient architecture, an inclosed court, esp., one surrounding a temple. |
| perichete | noun | Same as Perichaeth. |
| periclase | noun | Alt. of Periclasite |
| periculum | noun | Danger; risk., In a narrower, judicial sense: Accident or casus, as distinguished from dolus and culpa, and hence relieving one from the duty of performing an obligation. |
| peridrome | noun | The space between the columns and the wall of the cella, in a Greek or a Roman temple. |
| perigonia | plural | of Perigonium |
| perigraph | noun | A careless or inaccurate delineation of anything. |
| perigynia | plural | of Perigynium |
| perihelia | plural | of Perihelium |
| perilling | of Peril | |
| perilymph | noun | The fluid which surrounds the membranous labyrinth of the internal ear, and separates it from the walls of the chambers in which the labyrinth lies. |
| perimeter | noun | The outer boundary of a body or figure, or the sum of all the sides., An instrument for determining the extent and shape of the field of vision. |
| perimetry | noun | The art of using the perimeter; measurement of the field of vision. |
| perimorph | noun | A crystal of one species inclosing one of another species. See Endomorph. |
| perinaeum | noun | See Perineum. |
| periodate | noun | A salt of periodic acid. |
| periodide | noun | An iodide containing a higher proportion of iodine than any other iodide of the same substance or series. |
| perioplic | adjective | Of or pertaining to the periople; connected with the periople. |
| peripatus | noun | A genus of lowly organized arthropods, found in South Africa, Australia, and tropical America. It constitutes the order Malacopoda. |
| periphery | noun | The outside or superficial portions of a body; the surface., The circumference of a circle, ellipse, or other figure. |
| periplast | noun | Same as Periblast. |
| periproct | noun | The region surrounding the anus, particularly of echinoderms. |
| periscian | adjective | Having the shadow moving all around. |
| periscope | noun | A general or comprehensive view., an optical instrument of tubular shape containing an arrangement of lenses and mirrors (or prisms), allowing a person to observe a field of view otherwise obstructed, as beyond an obstructing object or (as in submarines) above the surface of the water. |
| perishing | present participle & vb. noun | of Perish |
| perisperm | noun | The albumen of a seed, especially that portion which is formed outside of the embryo sac. |
| perispore | noun | The outer covering of a spore. |
| peristole | noun | Peristaltic action, especially of the intestines. |
| peristoma | noun | Same as Peristome. |
| peristome | noun | The fringe of teeth around the orifice of the capsule of mosses. It consists of 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 teeth, and may be either single or double., The lip, or edge of the aperture, of a spiral shell., The membrane surrounding the mouth of an invertebrate animal. |
| peristyle | noun | A range of columns with their entablature, etc.; specifically, a complete system of columns, whether on all sides of a court, or surrounding a building, such as the cella of a temple. Used in the former sense, it gives name to the larger and inner court of a Roman dwelling, the peristyle. See Colonnade. |
| peritreme | noun | That part of the integument of an insect which surrounds the spiracles., The edge of the aperture of a univalve shell. |
| perwigged | imp. & past participle | of Periwig |
| perjuring | present participle & vb. noun | of Perjure |
| perjurous | adjective | Guilty of perjury; containing perjury. |
| perjuries | plural | of Perjury |
| perkinism | noun | A remedial treatment, by drawing the pointed extremities of two rods, each of a different metal, over the affected part; tractoration, — first employed by Dr. Elisha Perkins of Norwich, Conn. See Metallotherapy. |
| permanent | adjective | Continuing in the same state, or without any change that destroys form or character; remaining unaltered or unremoved; abiding; durable; fixed; stable; lasting; as, a permanent impression. |
| permeable | adjective | Capable of being permeated, or passed through; yielding passage; passable; penetrable; — used especially of substances which allow the passage of fluids; as, wood is permeable to oil; glass is permeable to light. |
| permeably | adverb | In a permeable manner. |
| permeated | imp. & past participle | of Permeate |
| permitted | imp. & past participle | of Permit |
| permittee | noun | One to whom a permission or permit is given. |
| permitter | noun | One who permits. |
| pernicion | noun | Destruction; perdition. |
| pernicity | noun | Swiftness; celerity. |
| perpender | noun | A large stone reaching through a wall so as to appear on both sides of it, and acting as a binder; — called also perbend, perpend stone, and perpent stone. |
| perpetual | adjective | Neverceasing; continuing forever or for an unlimited time; unfailing; everlasting; continuous. |
| perplexed | imp. & past participle | of Perplex, Entangled, involved, or confused; hence, embarrassd; puzzled; doubtful; anxious. |
| perplexly | adverb | Perplexedly. |
| perradial | adjective | Situated around the radii, or radial tubes, of a radiate. |
| perroquet | noun | See Paroquet, Parakeet. |
| persecute | verb t. | To pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death, for adherence to a particular religious creed or mode of worship., To harass with importunity; to pursue with persistent solicitations; to annoy. |
| persevere | verb i. | To persist in any business or enterprise undertaken; to pursue steadily any project or course begun; to maintain a purpose in spite of counter influences, opposition, or discouragement; not to give or abandon what is undertaken. |
| persimmon | noun | An American tree (Diospyros Virginiana) and its fruit, found from New York southward. The fruit is like a plum in appearance, but is very harsh and astringent until it has been exposed to frost, when it becomes palatable and nutritious. |
| persisted | imp. & past participle | of Persist |
| personage | noun | Form, appearance, or belongings of a person; the external appearance, stature, figure, air, and the like, of a person., Character assumed or represented., A notable or distinguished person; a conspicious or peculiar character; as, an illustrious personage; a comely personage of stature tall. |
| personate | verb t. | To celebrate loudly; to extol; to praise., To assume the character of; to represent by a fictitious appearance; to act the part of; hence, to counterfeit; to feign; as, he tried to personate his brother; a personated devotion., To set forth in an unreal character; to disguise; to mask., To personify; to typify; to describe., To play or assume a character., Having the throat of a bilabiate corolla nearly closed by a projection of the base of the lower lip; masked, as in the flower of the snapdragon. |
| personify | verb t. | To regard, treat, or represent as a person; to represent as a rational being., To be the embodiment or personification of; to impersonate; as, he personifies the law. |
| personize | verb t. | To personify. |
| personnel | noun | The body of persons employed in some public service, as the army, navy, etc.; — distinguished from materiel. |
| perspicil | noun | An optical glass; a telescope. |
| perspired | imp. & past participle | of Perspire |
| persuaded | imp. & past participle | of Persuade, Prevailed upon; influenced by argument or entreaty; convinced. |
| persuader | noun | One who, or that which, persuades or influences. |
| pertained | imp. & past participle | of Pertain |
| pertinacy | noun | The quality or state of being pertinent; pertinence., Pertinacity. |
| pertinate | adjective | Pertinacious. |
| pertinent | adjective | Belonging or related to the subject or matter in hand; fit or appropriate in any way; adapted to the end proposed; apposite; material; relevant; as, pertinent illustrations or arguments; pertinent evidence., Regarding; concerning; belonging; pertaining. |
| perturbed | adjective | Agitated; disturbed; troubled. |
| perturber | noun | One who, or that which, perturbs, or cause perturbation. |
| pertusate | adjective | Pierced at the apex. |
| pertusion | noun | The act of punching or piercing with a pointed instrument; as, pertusion of a vein., A punched hole; a perforation. |
| pertussis | noun | The whooping cough. |
| pervading | present participle & vb. noun | of Pervade |
| pervasion | noun | The act of pervading, passing, or spreading through the whole extent of a thing. |
| pervasive | adjective | Tending to pervade, or having power to spread throughout; of a pervading quality. |
| perversed | adjective | Turned aside. |
| perverted | imp. & past participle | of Pervert |
| perverter | noun | One who perverts (a person or thing). |
| pervicacy | noun | Pervicacity. |
| pessaries | plural | of Pessary |
| pessimism | noun | The opinion or doctrine that everything in nature is ordered for or tends to the worst, or that the world is wholly evil; — opposed to optimism., A disposition to take the least hopeful view of things. |
| pessimist | noun | One who advocates the doctrine of pessimism; — opposed to optimist., One who looks on the dark side of things., Alt. of Pessimistic |
| pessimize | verb i. | To hold or advocate the doctrine of pessimism. |
| pestering | present participle & vb. noun | of Pester |
| pesterous | adjective | Inclined to pester. Also, vexatious; encumbering; burdensome. |
| pesthouse | noun | A house or hospital for persons who are infected with any pestilential disease. |
| pestiduct | noun | That which conveys contagion or infection. |
| pestilent | adjective | Pestilential; noxious; pernicious; mischievous. |
| petardeer | noun | Alt. of Petardier |
| petardier | noun | One who managed a petard. |
| petaurist | noun | Any flying marsupial of the genera Petaurus, Phalangista, Acrobata, and allied genera. See Flying mouse, under Flying, and Phalangister. |
| petechiae | noun pl. | Small crimson, purple, or livid spots, like flea-bites, due to extravasation of blood, which appear on the skin in malignant fevers, etc. |
| petechial | adjective | Characterized by, or pertaining to, petechiae; spotted. |
| petersham | noun | A rough, knotted woolen cloth, used chiefly for men’s overcoats; also, a coat of that material. |
| peterwort | noun | See Saint Peter’s-wort, under Saint. |
| petiolary | adjective | Of or pertaining to petiole, or proceeding from it; as, a petiolar tendril; growing or supported upon a petiole; as, a petiolar gland; a petiolar bud. |
| petiolate | adjective | Alt. of Petiolated |
| petiolule | noun | A small petiole, or the petiole of a leaflet. |
| petralogy | noun | See Petrology. |
| petrified | imp. & past participle | of Petrify |
| petrogale | noun | Any Australian kangaroo of the genus Petrogale, as the rock wallaby (P. penicillata). |
| petroleum | noun | Rock oil, mineral oil, or natural oil, a dark brown or greenish inflammable liquid, which, at certain points, exists in the upper strata of the earth, from whence it is pumped, or forced by pressure of the gas attending it. It consists of a complex mixture of various hydrocarbons, largely of the methane series, but may vary much in appearance, composition, and properties. It is refined by distillation, and the products include kerosene, benzine, gasoline, paraffin, etc. |
| petroleur | noun f. | Alt. of Petroleuse |
| petroline | noun | A paraffin obtained from petroleum from Rangoon in India, and practically identical with ordinary paraffin. |
| petrology | noun | The department of science which is concerned with the mineralogical and chemical composition of rocks, and with their classification: lithology., A treatise on petrology. |
| petticoat | noun | A loose under-garment worn by women, and covering the body below the waist. |
| pettiness | noun | The quality or state of being petty or paltry; littleness; meanness. |
| pettitoes | noun pl. | The toes or feet of a pig, — often used as food; sometimes, in contempt, the human feet. |
| pettywhin | noun | The needle furze. See under Needle. |
| petulance | noun | Alt. of Petulancy |
| petulancy | noun | The quality or state of being petulant; temporary peevishness; pettishness; capricious ill humor. |
| petulcity | noun | Wantonness; friskiness. |
| petulcous | adjective | Wanton; frisky; lustful. |
| pewfellow | noun | One who occupies the same pew with another., An intimate associate; a companion. |