Words |
Parts of Speech |
Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
pachydactyl |
noun |
A bird or other animal having thick toes. |
pachydermal |
adjective |
Of or relating to the pachyderms; as, pachydermal dentition. |
pacificable |
adjective |
Placable. |
pacificator |
noun |
One who, or that which, pacifies; a peacemaker. |
pack saddle |
|
Alt. of Pack thread |
pack thread |
|
See under 2d Pack. |
painstaking |
adjective |
Careful in doing; diligent; faithful; attentive., The act of taking pains; carefulness and fidelity in performance. |
painsworthy |
adjective |
Worth the pains or care bestowed. |
paintership |
noun |
The state or position of being a painter. |
pairs royal |
plural |
of Pair |
palatonares |
noun pl. |
The posterior nares. See Nares. |
paleobotany |
noun |
That branch of paleontology which treats of fossil plants. |
paleocarida |
noun pl. |
Same as Merostomata. |
paleography |
noun |
An ancient manner of writing; ancient writings, collectively; as, Punic paleography., The study of ancient inscriptions and modes of writing; the art or science of deciphering ancient writings, and determining their origin, period, etc., from external characters; diplomatics. |
paleolithic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to an era marked by early stone implements. The Paleolithic era (as proposed by Lubbock) includes the earlier half of the “Stone Age;” the remains belonging to it are for the most part of extinct animals, with relics of human beings. |
paleologist |
noun |
One versed in paleology; a student of antiquity. |
paleosaurus |
noun |
A genus of fossil saurians found in the Permian formation. |
paleozooogy |
noun |
The science of extinct animals, a branch of paleontology. |
palestinian |
adjective |
Alt. of Palestinean |
palestinean |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to Palestine. |
palestrical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the palestra, or to wrestling. |
palindromic |
adjective |
Alt. of Palindromical |
palingenesy |
noun |
A new birth; a re-creation; a regeneration; a continued existence in different manner or form., That form of evolution in which the truly ancestral characters conserved by heredity are reproduced in development; original simple descent; — distinguished from kenogenesis. Sometimes, in zoology, the abrupt metamorphosis of insects, crustaceans, etc. |
palissander |
noun |
Violet wood., Rosewood. |
paladiumize |
verb t. |
To cover or coat with palladium. |
palmatisect |
adjective |
Alt. of Palmatisected |
palmiferous |
adjective |
Bearing palms. |
palm sunday |
|
The Sunday next before Easter; — so called in commemoration of our Savior’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when the multitude strewed palm branches in the way. |
palpability |
noun |
The quality of being palpable, or perceptible by the touch. |
palpigerous |
adjective |
Bearing a palpus. |
palpitating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Palpitate |
palpitation |
noun |
A rapid pulsation; a throbbing; esp., an abnormal, rapid beating of the heart as when excited by violent exertion, strong emotion, or by disease. |
palsgravine |
noun |
The consort or widow of a palsgrave. |
paladumenta |
plural |
of Paludamentum |
paludicolae |
noun pl. |
A division of birds, including the cranes, rails, etc. |
pamphleteer |
noun |
A writer of pamphlets; a scribbler., To write or publish pamphlets. |
pampiniform |
adjective |
In the form of tendrils; — applied especially to the spermatic and ovarian veins. |
pancratiast |
noun |
One who engaged in the contests of the pancratium. |
pancratical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the pancratium; athletic. |
pandemonium |
noun |
The great hall or council chamber of demons or evil spirits., An utterly lawless, riotous place or assemblage. |
panduriform |
adjective |
Obovate, with a concavity in each side, like the body of a violin; fiddle-shaped; as, a panduriform leaf; panduriform color markings of an animal. |
panegyrical |
adjective |
Containing praise or eulogy; encomiastic; laudatory. |
panegyrized |
imp. & past participle |
of Panegyrize |
paneulogism |
noun |
Eulogy of everything; indiscriminate praise. |
panhellenic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to all Greece, or to Panhellenism; including all Greece, or all the Greeks. |
paniculated |
adjective |
Same as Panicled. |
panislamism |
noun |
A desire or plan for the union of all Mohammedan nations for the conquest of the world. |
panoramical |
adjective |
Of, pertaining to, or like, a panorama. |
pansclavism |
|
Alt. of Pansclavonian |
pansclavist |
|
Alt. of Pansclavonian |
pansophical |
adjective |
All-wise; claiming universal knowledge; as, pansophical pretenders. |
panspermist |
noun |
A believer in panspermy; one who rejects the theory of spontaneous generation; a biogenist. |
pantascopic |
adjective |
Viewing all; taking a view of the whole. See under Camera. |
panteutonic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to all the Teutonic races. |
pantheistic |
adjective |
Alt. of Pantheistical |
pantheology |
noun |
A system of theology embracing all religions; a complete system of theology. |
pantisocrat |
noun |
A pantisocratist. |
pantography |
noun |
A general description; entire view of an object. |
pantologist |
noun |
One versed in pantology; a writer of pantology. |
pantomimist |
noun |
An actor in pantomime; also, a composer of pantomimes. |
pantoscopic |
adjective |
Literally, seeing everything; — a term applied to eyeglasses or spectacles divided into two segments, the upper being designed for distant vision, the lower for vision of near objects. |
paperweight |
noun |
See under Paper, n. |
papilliform |
adjective |
Shaped like a papilla; mammilliform. |
papillomata |
plural |
of Papilloma |
papillulate |
adjective |
Having a minute papilla in the center of a larger elevation or depression. |
papyraceous |
adjective |
Made of papyrus; of the consistency of paper; papery. |
papyrograph |
noun |
An apparatus for multiplying writings, drawings, etc., in which a paper stencil, formed by writing or drawing with corrosive ink, is used. The word is also used of other means of multiplying copies of writings, drawings, etc. See Copygraph, Hectograph, Manifold. |
parablastic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the parablast; as, the parablastic cells. |
parabolical |
adjective |
Of the nature of a parable; expressed by a parable or figure; allegorical; as, parabolical instruction., Having the form or nature of a parabola; pertaining to, or resembling, a parabola; as, a parabolic curve., Generated by the revolution of a parabola, or by a line that moves on a parabola as a directing curve; as, a parabolic conoid. |
paracelsian |
adjective |
Of, pertaining to, or in conformity with, the practice of Paracelsus, a Swiss physician of the 15th century., A follower of Paracelsus or his practice or teachings. |
paracelsist |
noun |
A Paracelsian. |
paracentric |
adjective |
Alt. of Paracentrical |
parachordal |
adjective |
Situated on either side of the notochord; — applied especially to the cartilaginous rudiments of the skull on each side of the anterior part of the notochord., A parachordal cartilage. |
paracmastic |
adjective |
Gradually decreasing; past the acme, or crisis, as a distemper. |
paracorolla |
noun |
A secondary or inner corolla; a corona, as of the Narcissus. |
paracrostic |
noun |
A poetical composition, in which the first verse contains, in order, the first letters of all the verses of the poem. |
paradactyla |
plural |
of Paradactylum |
paradisical |
adjective |
Paradisiacal. |
paradoxical |
adjective |
Of the nature of a paradox., Inclined to paradoxes, or to tenets or notions contrary to received opinions. |
paradoxides |
noun |
A genus of large trilobites characteristic of the primordial formations. |
paragenesis |
noun |
The science which treats of minerals with special reference to their origin. |
paraglossae |
plural |
of Paraglossa |
paragnathus |
noun |
One of the two lobes which form the lower lip, or metastome, of Crustacea., One of the small, horny, toothlike jaws of certain annelids. |
paragogical |
adjective |
Of, pertaining to, or constituting, a paragoge; added to the end of, or serving to lengthen, a word. |
paragraphed |
imp. & past participle |
of Paragraph |
paragrapher |
noun |
A writer of paragraphs; a paragraphist. |
paragraphic |
adjective |
Alt. of Paragraphical |
paraldehyde |
noun |
A polymeric modification of aldehyde obtained as a white crystalline substance. |
paraleipsis |
noun |
A pretended or apparent omission; a figure by which a speaker artfully pretends to pass by what he really mentions; as, for example, if an orator should say, “I do not speak of my adversary’s scandalous venality and rapacity, his brutal conduct, his treachery and malice.” |
parallactic |
adjective |
Alt. of Parallactical |
paralleling |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Parallel |
parallelism |
noun |
The quality or state of being parallel., Resemblance; correspondence; similarity., Similarity of construction or meaning of clauses placed side by side, especially clauses expressing the same sentiment with slight modifications, as is common in Hebrew poetry; e. g.: –//At her feet he bowed, he fell:/Where he bowed, there he fell down dead. Judg. v. 27. |
parallelize |
verb t. |
To render parallel. |
paralogical |
adjective |
Containing paralogism; illogical. |
paralogized |
imp. & past participle |
of Paralogize |
paralytical |
adjective |
See Paralytic. |
paramastoid |
adjective |
Situated beside, or near, the mastoid portion of the temporal bone; paroccipital; — applied especially to a process of the skull in some animals. |
paramountly |
adverb |
In a paramount manner. |
paranucleus |
noun |
Some as Nucleolus. |
paranymphal |
adjective |
Bridal; nuptial. |
parapeptone |
noun |
An albuminous body formed in small quantity by the peptic digestion of proteids. It can be converted into peptone by pancreatic juice, but not by gastric juice. |
paraphernal |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to paraphernalia; as, paraphernal property. |
paraphrased |
imp. & past participle |
of Paraphrase |
paraphraser |
noun |
One who paraphrases. |
parapleurae |
plural |
of Parapleura |
parascenium |
noun |
One of two apartments adjoining the stage, probably used as robing rooms. |
paraselenae |
plural |
of Paraselene |
parasitical |
adjective |
Of the nature of a parasite; fawning for food or favors; sycophantic., Of or pertaining to parasites; living on, or deriving nourishment from, some other living animal or plant. See Parasite, 2 & 3. |
parasolette |
noun |
A small parasol. |
parasynaxis |
noun |
An unlawful meeting. |
paraventure |
adverb |
Peradventure; perchance. |
paraxanthin |
noun |
A crystalline substance closely related to xanthin, present in small quantity in urine. |
parbuckling |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Parbuckle |
parcel-mele |
adverb |
By parcels or parts. |
parchedness |
noun |
The state of being parched. |
paremptosis |
noun |
Same as Parembole. |
parenchymal |
adjective |
Of, pertaining to, or consisting of, parenchyma. |
parenetioal |
adjective |
Hortatory; encouraging; persuasive. |
parentation |
noun |
Something done or said in honor of the dead; obsequies. |
parentheses |
plural |
of Parenthesis |
parenthesis |
noun |
A word, phrase, or sentence, by way of comment or explanation, inserted in, or attached to, a sentence which would be grammatically complete without it. It is usually inclosed within curved lines (see def. 2 below), or dashes., One of the curved lines () which inclose a parenthetic word or phrase. |
parenthetic |
adjective |
Alt. of Parenthetical |
paripinnate |
adjective |
Pinnate with an equal number of leaflets on each side; having no odd leaflet at the end. |
parishional |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a parish; parochial. |
parishioner |
noun |
One who belongs to, or is connected with, a parish. |
parochially |
adverb |
In a parochial manner; by the parish, or by parishes. |
paronomasia |
noun |
A play upon words; a figure by which the same word is used in different senses, or words similar in sound are set in opposition to each other, so as to give antithetical force to the sentence; punning. |
paroophoron |
noun |
A small mass of tubules near the ovary in some animals, and corresponding with the parepididymis of the male. |
partibility |
noun |
The quality or state of being partible; divisibility; separability; as, the partibility of an inherttance. |
participant |
adjective |
Sharing; participating; having a share of part., A participator; a partaker. |
participate |
adjective |
Acting in common; participating., To have a share in common with others; to take a part; to partake; — followed by in, formely by of; as, to participate in a debate., To partake of; to share in; to receive a part of., To impart, or give, or share of. |
participial |
adjective |
Having, or partaking of, the nature and use of a participle; formed from a participle; as, a participial noun., A participial word. |
particulate |
verb t. & i. |
To particularize., Having the form of a particle., Referring to, or produced by, particles, such as dust, minute germs, etc. |
partitioned |
imp. & past participle |
of Partition |
partitively |
adverb |
In a partitive manner. |
partnership |
noun |
The state or condition of being a partner; as, to be in partnership with another; to have partnership in the fortunes of a family or a state., A division or sharing among partners; joint possession or interest., An alliance or association of persons for the prosecution of an undertaking or a business on joint account; a company; a firm; a house; as, to form a partnership., A contract between two or more competent persons for joining together their money, goods, labor, and skill, or any or all of them, under an understanding that there shall be a communion of profit between them, and for the purpose of carrying on a legal trade, business, or adventure., See Fellowship, n., 6. |
parturiency |
noun |
Parturition. |
parturition |
noun |
The act of bringing forth, or being delivered of, young; the act of giving birth; delivery; childbirth., That which is brought forth; a birth. |
parturitive |
adjective |
Pertaining to parturition; obstetric. |
parvanimity |
noun |
The state or quality of having a little or ignoble mind; pettiness; meanness; — opposed to magnanimity. |
pasigraphic |
adjective |
Alt. of Pasigraphical |
passacaglia |
noun |
Alt. of Passacaglio |
passacaglio |
noun |
An old Italian or Spanish dance tune, in slow three-four measure, with divisions on a ground bass, resembling a chaconne. |
passeriform |
adjective |
Like or belonging to the Passeres. |
passibility |
noun |
The quality or state of being passible; aptness to feel or suffer; sensibility. |
passionless |
adjective |
Void of passion; without anger or emotion; not easily excited; calm. |
passiontide |
noun |
The last fortnight of Lent. |
passiveness |
noun |
The quality or state of being passive; unresisting submission. |
pass-parole |
noun |
An order passed from front to rear by word of mouth. |
pastureless |
adjective |
Destitute of pasture. |
patefaction |
noun |
The act of opening, disclosing, or manifesting; open declaration. |
patelliform |
adjective |
Having the form of a patella., Resembling a limpet of the genus Patella. |
paternalism |
noun |
The theory or practice of paternal government. See Paternal government, under Paternal. |
paternoster |
noun |
The Lord’s prayer, so called from the first two words of the Latin version., A beadlike ornament in moldings., A line with a row of hooks and bead/shaped sinkers. |
pathologist |
noun |
One skilled in pathology; an investigator in pathology; as, the pathologist of a hospital, whose duty it is to determine the causes of the diseases. |
pathologies |
plural |
of Pathology |
patibulated |
adjective |
Hanged on a gallows. |
patriarchal |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a patriarch or to patriarchs; possessed by, or subject to, patriarchs; as, patriarchal authority or jurisdiction; a patriarchal see; a patriarchal church., Characteristic of a patriarch; venerable., Having an organization of society and government in which the head of the family exercises authority over all its generations. |
patriarchic |
adjective |
Patriarchal. |
patrimonial |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a patrimony; inherited from ancestors; as, a patrimonial estate. |
patrimonies |
plural |
of Patrimony |
patriotical |
adjective |
Patriotic; that pertains to a patriot. |
patristical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Fathers of the Christian church. |
patrocinate |
verb t. |
To support; to patronize. |
patronizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Patronize, Showing condescending favor; assuming the manner of airs of a superior toward another. |
patroonship |
noun |
The office of a patroon. |
paucispiral |
adjective |
Having few spirals, or whorls; as, a paucispiral operculum or shell. |
pauperizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Pauperize |
pavilioning |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Pavilion |
pawnbroking |
noun |
The business of a pawnbroker. |
pearlaceous |
adjective |
Resembling pearl or mother-of-pearl; pearly in quality or appearance. |
pear-shaped |
adjective |
Of the form of a pear. |
peasantlike |
adjective |
Rude; clownish; illiterate. |
pebblestone |
|
A pebble; also, pebbles collectively. |
peccability |
noun |
The state or quality of being peccable; lability to sin. |
peccadillos |
plural |
of Peccadillo |
pectinately |
adverb |
In a pectinate manner. |
pectination |
noun |
The state of being pectinated; that which is pectinated., The act of combing; the combing of the head., Comblike toothing. |
pectiniform |
adjective |
Comblike in form. |
pectostraca |
noun pl. |
A degenerate order of Crustacea, including the Rhizocephala and Cirripedia. |
peculiarity |
noun |
The quality or state of being peculiar; individuality; singularity., That which is peculiar; a special and distinctive characteristic or habit; particularity., Exclusive possession or right. |
pecularized |
imp. & past participle |
of Peculiarize |
peculiarize |
verb t. |
To make peculiar; to set appart or assign, as an exclusive possession. |
pecuniarily |
adverb |
In a pecuniary manner; as regards money. |
pedagogical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a pedagogue; suited to, or characteristic of, a pedagogue. |
pedestrious |
adjective |
Going on foot; not winged. |
pedetentous |
adjective |
Proceeding step by step; advancing cautiously. |
pedicellate |
adjective |
Having a pedicel; supported by a pedicel. |
pedicellina |
noun |
A genus of Bryozoa, of the order Entoprocta, having a bell-shaped body supported on a slender pedicel. See Illust. under Entoprocta. |
pedipalpous |
adjective |
Pertaining to, or resembling, the pedipalps. |
pedobaptism |
noun |
The baptism of infants or of small children. |
pedobaptist |
noun |
One who advocates or practices infant baptism. |
pedunculata |
noun pl. |
A division of Cirripedia, including the stalked or goose barnacles. |
pedunculate |
adjective |
Alt. of Pedunculated |
peepul tree |
|
A sacred tree (Ficus religiosa) of the Buddhists, a kind of fig tree which attains great size and venerable age. See Bo tree. |
peevishness |
noun |
The quality of being peevish; disposition to murmur; sourness of temper. |
pelagianism |
noun |
The doctrines of Pelagius. |
pelargonium |
noun |
A large genus of plants of the order Geraniaceae, differing from Geranium in having a spurred calyx and an irregular corolla. |
pellucidity |
noun |
Alt. of Pellucidness |
penanceless |
adjective |
Free from penance. |
pencillated |
adjective |
Shaped like a pencil; penicillate. |
pendulosity |
noun |
The state or quality of being pendulous. |
pendulously |
adverb |
In a pendulous manner. |
penetrating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Penetrate, Having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading; sharp; subtile; penetrative; as, a penetrating odor., Acute; discerning; sagacious; quick to discover; as, a penetrating mind. |
penetration |
noun |
The act or process of penetrating, piercing, or entering; also, the act of mentally penetrating into, or comprehending, anything difficult., Acuteness; insight; sharp discoverment; sagacity; as, a person of singular penetration. |
penetrative |
adjective |
Tending to penetrate; of a penetrating quality; piercing; as, the penetrative sun., Having the power to affect or impress the mind or heart; impressive; as, penetrative shame., Acute; discerning; sagacious; as, penetrative wisdom. |
penicillate |
adjective |
Having the form of a pencil; furnished with a pencil of fine hairs; ending in a tuft of hairs like a camel’s-hair brush, as the stigmas of some grasses. |
peninsulate |
verb t. |
To form into a peninsula. |
penitential |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to penitence, or to penance; expressing penitence; of the nature of penance; as, the penitential book; penitential tears., A book formerly used by priests hearing confessions, containing rules for the imposition of penances; — called also penitential book. |
pennigerous |
adjective |
Bearing feathers or quills. |
penninerved |
adjective |
Pinnately veined or nerved. |
pennipotent |
adjective |
Strong of wing; strong on the wing. |
pennoncelle |
noun |
See Pencel. |
pennyweight |
noun |
A troy weight containing twenty-four grains, or the twentieth part of an ounce; as, a pennyweight of gold or of arsenic. It was anciently the weight of a silver penny, whence the name. |
penological |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to penology. |
pensileness |
noun |
State or quality of being pensile; pendulousness. |
pensiveness |
noun |
The state of being pensive; serious thoughtfulness; seriousness. |
pentaconter |
noun |
See Penteconter. |
pentacrinin |
noun |
A red and purple pigment found in certain crinoids of the genus Pentacrinus. |
pentacrinus |
noun |
A genus of large, stalked crinoids, of which several species occur in deep water among the West Indies and elsewhere. |
pentadactyl |
adjective |
Alt. of Pentadactyle |
pentadecane |
noun |
A hydrocarbon of the paraffin series, (C15H32) found in petroleum, tar oil, etc., and obtained as a colorless liquid; — so called from the fifteen carbon atoms in the molecule. |
pentagonous |
adjective |
Pentagonal. |
pentagynian |
adjective |
Alt. of Pentagynous |
pentagynous |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to plants of the order Pentagyna; having five styles. |
pentahedral |
adjective |
Having five sides; as, a pentahedral figure. |
pentahedron |
noun |
A solid figure having five sides. |
pentamerous |
adjective |
Divided into, or consisting of, five parts; also, arranged in sets, with five parts in each set, as a flower with five sepals, five petals, five, or twice five, stamens, and five pistils., Belonging to the Pentamera. |
pentandrian |
adjective |
Alt. of Pentandrous |
pentandrous |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the class Pentadria; having five stamens. |
pentangular |
adjective |
Having five corners or angles. |
pentavalent |
adjective |
Having a valence of five; — said of certain atoms and radicals. |
penteconter |
noun |
A Grecian vessel with fifty oars. |
pentecostal |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to Pentecost or to Whitsuntide. |
pentecoster |
noun |
An officer in the Spartan army commanding fifty men. |
pentremites |
noun |
A genus of crinoids belonging to the Blastoidea. They have five petal-like ambulacra. |
penultimate |
adjective |
Last but one; as, the penultimate syllable, the last syllable but one of a word., The penult. |
pepperbrand |
noun |
See 1st Bunt. |
peppergrass |
noun |
Any herb of the cruciferous genus Lepidium, especially the garden peppergrass, or garden cress, Lepidium sativum; — called also pepperwort. All the species have a pungent flavor., The common pillwort of Europe (Pilularia globulifera). See Pillwort. |
peptogenous |
adjective |
Capable of yielding, or being converted into, peptone. |
peptotoxine |
noun |
A toxic alkaloid found occasionally associated with the peptones formed from fibrin by pepsinhydrochloric acid. |
peragration |
noun |
The act or state of passing through any space; as, the peragration of the moon in her monthly revolution. |
perambulate |
verb t. |
To walk through or over; especially, to travel over for the purpose of surveying or examining; to inspect by traversing; specifically, to inspect officially the boundaries of, as of a town or parish, by walking over the whole line., To walk about; to ramble; to stroll; as, he perambulated in the park. |
percarburet |
noun |
A percarbide. |
perceivable |
adjective |
Capable of being perceived; perceptible. |
perceivance |
noun |
Power of perceiving. |
perceptible |
adjective |
Capable of being perceived; cognizable; discernible; perceivable. |
perchlorate |
noun |
A salt of perchloric acid. |
perchloride |
noun |
A chloride having a higher proportion of chlorine than any other chloride of the same substance or series. |
perciformes |
noun pl. |
An extensive tribe or suborder of fishes, including the true perches (Percidae); the pondfishes (Centrarchidae); the sciaenoids (Sciaenidae); the sparoids (Sparidae); the serranoids (Serranidae), and some other related families. |
percipience |
noun |
Alt. of Percipiency |
percipiency |
noun |
The faculty, act or power of perceiving; perception. |
percolating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Percolate |
percolation |
noun |
The act or process of percolating, or filtering; filtration; straining. Specifically (Pharm.), the process of exhausting the virtues of a powdered drug by letting a liquid filter slowly through it. |
percomorphi |
noun pl. |
A division of fishes including the perches and related kinds. |
perduellion |
noun |
Treason. |
perduration |
noun |
Long continuance. |
peregrinate |
verb i. |
To travel from place to place, or from one country to another; hence, to sojourn in foreign countries., Having traveled; foreign. |
peregrinity |
noun |
Foreignness; strangeness., Travel; wandering. |
perennially |
adverb |
In a perennial manner. |
pererration |
noun |
A wandering, or rambling, through various places. |
perfectible |
adjective |
Capable of becoming, or being made, perfect. |
perfectness |
noun |
The quality or state of being perfect; perfection. |
perforating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Perforate |
perforation |
noun |
The act of perforating, or of boring or piercing through., A hole made by boring or piercing; an aperture. |
perforative |
adjective |
Having power to perforate or pierce. |
performable |
adjective |
Admitting of being performed, done, or executed; practicable. |
performance |
noun |
The act of performing; the carrying into execution or action; execution; achievement; accomplishment; representation by action; as, the performance of an undertaking of a duty., That which is performed or accomplished; a thing done or carried through; an achievement; a deed; an act; a feat; esp., an action of an elaborate or public character. |
perfumatory |
adjective |
Emitting perfume; perfuming. |
perfunctory |
adjective |
Done merely to get rid of a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory admonitions., Hence: Mechanical; indifferent; listless; careless. |
pergamenous |
adjective |
Alt. of Pergamentaceous |
perianthium |
noun |
The perianth. |
pericambium |
noun |
A layer of thin-walled young cells in a growing stem, in which layer certain new vessels originate. |
pericardiac |
adjective |
Alt. of Pericardial |
pericardial |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to pericardium; situated around the heart. |
pericardian |
adjective |
Pericardiac. |
pericardium |
noun |
The double baglike fold of serous membrane which incloses the heart. |
pericarpial |
adjective |
Alt. of Pericarpic |
perichaetia |
plural |
of Perichaetium |
perichordal |
adjective |
Around the notochord; as, a perichordal column. See Epichordal. |
periclasite |
noun |
A grayish or dark green mineral, consisting essentially of magnesia (magnesium oxide), occurring in granular forms or in isometric crystals. |
periclinium |
noun |
The involucre which surrounds the common receptacle in composite flowers. |
periclitate |
verb t. |
To endanger. |
pericranial |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the pericranium. |
pericranium |
noun |
The periosteum which covers the cranium externally; the region around the cranium. |
perienteron |
noun |
The primitive perivisceral cavity. |
perigastric |
adjective |
Surrounding the stomach; — applied to the body cavity of Bryozoa and various other Invertebrata. |
perigenesis |
noun |
A theory which explains inheritance by the transmission of the type of growth force possessed by one generation to another. |
perigenetic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to perigenesis. |
perineurial |
adjective |
Surrounding nerves or nerve fibers; of or pertaining to the perineurium. |
perineurium |
noun |
The connective tissue sheath which surrounds a bundle of nerve fibers. See Epineurium, and Neurilemma. |
perinuclear |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a nucleus; situated around a nucleus; as, the perinuclear protoplasm. |
periodicity |
noun |
The quality or state of being periodical, or regularly recurrent; as, the periodicity in the vital phenomena of plants. |
periodontal |
adjective |
Surrounding the teeth. |
perioecians |
noun pl. |
Those who live on the same parallel of latitude but on opposite meridians, so that it is noon in one place when it is midnight in the other. Compare Antoeci. |
periostitis |
noun |
Inflammation of the periosteum. |
periostraca |
plural |
of Periostracum |
peripatetic |
adjective |
Walking about; itinerant., Of or pertaining to the philosophy taught by Aristotle (who gave his instructions while walking in the Lyceum at Athens), or to his followers., One who walks about; a pedestrian; an itinerant., A disciple of Aristotle; an Aristotelian. |
peripheries |
plural |
of Periphery |
periphrased |
imp. & past participle |
of Periphrase |
periphrases |
plural |
of Periphrasis |
periphrasis |
noun |
See Periphrase. |
peripterous |
adjective |
Peripteral., Feathered all around. |
perispheric |
adjective |
Alt. of Perispherical |
perispomena |
plural |
of Perispomenon |
perissology |
noun |
Superfluity of words. |
peristalsis |
noun |
Peristaltic contraction or action. |
peristaltic |
adjective |
Applied to the peculiar wormlike wave motion of the intestines and other similar structures, produced by the successive contraction of the muscular fibers of their walls, forcing their contents onwards; as, peristaltic movement. |
peristerion |
noun |
The herb vervain (Verbena officinalis). |
peristerite |
noun |
A variety of albite, whitish and slightly iridescent like a pigeon’s neck. |
peristomata |
plural |
of Peristoma |
peristomial |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a peristome. |
peristomium |
noun |
Same as Peristome. |
perisystole |
noun |
The interval between the diastole and systole of the heart. It is perceptible only in the dying. |
perithecium |
noun |
An organ in certain fungi and lichens, surrounding and enveloping the masses of fructification. |
peritonaeum |
noun |
Same as Peritoneum. |
peritonitis |
noun |
Inflammation of the peritoneum. |
peritropous |
adjective |
Peritropal. |
periuterine |
adjective |
Surrounding the uterus. |
permanently |
adverb |
In a permanent manner. |
permanganic |
adjective |
Pertaining to, or designating, one of the higher acids of manganese, HMnO4, which forms salts called permanganates. |
permiscible |
adjective |
Capable of being mixed. |
permissible |
adjective |
That may be permitted; allowable; admissible. |
permittance |
noun |
The act of permitting; allowance; permission; leave. |
permutation |
noun |
The act of permuting; exchange of the thing for another; mutual transference; interchange., The arrangement of any determinate number of things, as units, objects, letters, etc., in all possible orders, one after the other; — called also alternation. Cf. Combination, n., 4., Any one of such possible arrangements., Barter; exchange. |
pernyi moth |
|
A silk-producing moth (Attacus Pernyi) which feeds upon the oak. It has been introduced into Europe and America from China. |
peroxidized |
imp. & past participle |
of Peroxidize |
perpendicle |
noun |
Something hanging straight down; a plumb line. |
perpetrable |
adjective |
Capable of being perpetrated. |
perpetrated |
imp. & past participle |
of Perpetrate |
perpetrator |
noun |
One who perpetrates; esp., one who commits an offense or crime. |
perpetuable |
adjective |
Capable of being perpetuated or continued. |
perpetually |
adverb |
In a perpetual manner; constantly; continually. |
perpetualty |
noun |
The state or condition of being perpetual. |
perpetuance |
noun |
Perpetuity. |
perpetuated |
imp. & past participle |
of Perpetuate |
perpotation |
noun |
The act of drinking excessively; a drinking bout. |
perquisited |
adjective |
Supplied with perquisites. |
persecuting |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Persecute |
persecution |
noun |
The act or practice of persecuting; especially, the infliction of loss, pain, or death for adherence to a particular creed or mode of worship., The state or condition of being persecuted., A carrying on; prosecution. |
persecutrix |
noun |
A woman who persecutes. |
perseverant |
adjective |
Persevering. |
persevering |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Persevere, Characterized by perseverance; persistent. |
persistence |
noun |
Alt. of Persistency |
persistency |
noun |
The quality or state of being persistent; staying or continuing quality; hence, in an unfavorable sense, doggedness; obstinacy., The continuance of an effect after the cause which first gave rise to it is removed, The persistence of motion., Visual persistence, or persistence of the visual impression; auditory persistence, etc. |
personalism |
noun |
The quality or state of being personal; personality. |
personality |
noun |
That which constitutes distinction of person; individuality., Something said or written which refers to the person, conduct, etc., of some individual, especially something of a disparaging or offensive nature; personal remarks; as, indulgence in personalities., That quality of a law which concerns the condition, state, and capacity of persons. |
personalize |
verb t. |
To make personal. |
personating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Personate |
personation |
noun |
The act of personating, or conterfeiting the person or character of another. |
personifier |
noun |
One who personifies. |
personified |
imp. & past participle |
of Personify |
perspective |
noun |
Of or pertaining to the science of vision; optical., Pertaining to the art, or in accordance with the laws, of perspective., A glass through which objects are viewed., That which is seen through an opening; a view; a vista., The effect of distance upon the appearance of objects, by means of which the eye recognized them as being at a more or less measurable distance. Hence, aerial perspective, the assumed greater vagueness or uncertainty of outline in distant objects., The art and the science of so delineating objects that they shall seem to grow smaller as they recede from the eye; — called also linear perspective., A drawing in linear perspective. |
perspicable |
adjective |
Discernible. |
perspicuity |
noun |
The quality or state of being transparent or translucent., The quality of being perspicuous to the understanding; clearness of expression or thought., Sagacity; perspicacity. |
perspicuous |
adjective |
Capable of being through; transparent; translucent; not opaque., Clear to the understanding; capable of being clearly understood; clear in thought or in expression; not obscure or ambiguous; as, a perspicuous writer; perspicuous statements. |
perspirable |
adjective |
Capable of being perspired., Emitting perspiration; perspiring. |
persuadable |
adjective |
That may be persuaded. |
persuasible |
adjective |
Capable of being persuaded; persuadable., Persuasive. |
persulphate |
noun |
A sulphate of the peroxide of any base. |
persulphide |
noun |
A sulphide containing more sulphur than some other compound of the same elements; as, iron pyrites is a persulphide; — formerly called persulphuret. |
pertinacity |
noun |
The quality or state of being pertinacious; obstinacy; perseverance; persistency. |
pertinately |
adverb |
Pertinaciously. |
perturbable |
adjective |
Liable to be perturbed or agitated; liable to be disturbed or disquieted. |
perturbance |
noun |
Disturbance; perturbation. |
perturbator |
noun |
A perturber. |
perversedly |
adverb |
Perversely. |
pervertible |
adjective |
Capable of being perverted. |
pervicacity |
noun |
Obstinacy; pervicaciousness. |
pessimistic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to pessimism; characterized by pessimism; gloomy; foreboding. |
pestiferous |
adjective |
Pest-bearing; pestilential; noxious to health; malignant; infectious; contagious; as, pestiferous bodies., Noxious to peace, to morals, or to society; vicious; hurtful; destructive; as, a pestiferous demagogue. |
pestilently |
adverb |
In a pestilent manner; mischievously; destructively. |
pestilation |
noun |
The act of pounding and bruising with a pestle in a mortar. |
petiolulate |
adjective |
Supported by its own petiolule. |
petitioning |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Petition, The act of presenting apetition; a supplication. |
petitionary |
adjective |
Supplicatory; making a petition., Containing a petition; of the nature of a petition; as, a petitionary epistle. |
petrescence |
noun |
The process of changing into stone; petrification. |
petrificate |
verb t. |
To petrify. |
petroglyphy |
noun |
The art or operation of carving figures or inscriptions on rock or stone. |
petrography |
noun |
The art of writing on stone., The scientific description of rocks; that department of science which investigates the constitution of rocks; petrology. |
petrologist |
noun |
One who is versed in petrology. |
petromyzont |
noun |
A lamprey. |
pettifogged |
imp. & past participle |
of Pettifog |
pettifogger |
noun |
A lawyer who deals in petty cases; an attorney whose methods are mean and tricky; an inferior lawyer. |
phaenogamia |
noun pl. |
The class of flowering plants including all which have true flowers with distinct floral organs; phanerogamia. |
phaenogamic |
adjective |
Same as Phaenogamous. |
phaenomenon |
noun |
See Phenomenon. |
phagedenous |
adjective |
Phagedenic. |
phainopepla |
noun |
A small crested passerine bird (Phainopepla nitens), native of Mexico and the Southern United States. The adult male is of a uniform glossy blue-black; the female is brownish. Called also black flycatcher. |
phalangides |
plural |
of Phalangid |
phalangious |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to Phalangoidea. |
phalanstere |
noun |
A phalanstery. |
phalanstery |
noun |
An association or community organized on the plan of Fourier. See Fourierism., The dwelling house of a Fourierite community. |
phantascope |
noun |
An optical instrument or toy, resembling the phenakistoscope, and illustrating the same principle; — called also phantasmascope. |
phantomatic |
adjective |
Phantasmal. |
pharisaical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Pharisees; resembling the Pharisees., Addicted to external forms and ceremonies; making a show of religion without the spirit of it; ceremonial; formal; hypocritical; self-righteous. |
phariseeism |
noun |
See Pharisaism. |
pharyngitis |
noun |
Inflammation of the pharynx. |
phassachate |
noun |
The lead-colored agate; — so called in reference to its color. |
phenicopter |
noun |
A flamingo. |
phenogamian |
adjective |
Alt. of Phenogamous |
phenogamous |
adjective |
Same as Phaenogamian, Phaenogamic, etc. |
phenomenist |
noun |
One who believes in the theory of phenomenalism. |
phenylamine |
noun |
Any one of certain class of organic bases regarded as formed from ammonia by the substitution of phenyl for hydrogen. |
philanderer |
noun |
One who hangs about women; a male flirt. |
philatelist |
noun |
One versed in philately; one who collects postage stamps. |
philhellene |
noun |
A friend of Greece, or of the Greeks; a philhellenist. |
philippized |
imp. & past participle |
of Philippize |
phillipsite |
noun |
A hydrous silicate of aluminia, lime, and soda, a zeolitic mineral commonly occurring in complex twin crystals, often cruciform in shape; — called also christianite. |
phillygenin |
noun |
A pearly crystalline substance obtained by the decomposition of phillyrin. |
philogynist |
noun |
A lover or friend of women; one who esteems woman as the higher type of humanity; — opposed to misogynist. |
philologian |
noun |
A philologist. |
philologist |
noun |
One versed in philology. |
philologize |
verb i. |
To study, or make critical comments on, language. |
philomathic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to philomathy., Having love of learning or letters. |
philosopher |
noun |
One who philosophizes; one versed in, or devoted to, philosophy., One who reduces the principles of philosophy to practice in the conduct of life; one who lives according to the rules of practical wisdom; one who meets or regards all vicissitudes with calmness., An alchemist. |
philosophic |
adjective |
Alt. of Philosophical |
philostorgy |
noun |
Natural affection, as of parents for their children. |
phlegmonous |
adjective |
Having the nature or properties of phlegmon; as, phlegmonous pneumonia. |
phlogistian |
noun |
A believer in the existence of phlogiston. |
phocodontia |
noun pl. |
A group of extinct carnivorous whales. Their teeth had compressed and serrated crowns. It includes Squalodon and allied genera. |
phoenicious |
adjective |
See Phenicious. |
phonetician |
noun |
One versed in phonetics; a phonetist. |
phonography |
noun |
A description of the laws of the human voice, or sounds uttered by the organs of speech., A representation of sounds by distinctive characters; commonly, a system of shorthand writing invented by Isaac Pitman, or a modification of his system, much used by reporters., The art of constructing, or using, the phonograph. |
phonologist |
noun |
One versed in phonology. |
phonorganon |
noun |
A speaking machine. |
phonotypist |
noun |
One versed in phonotypy. |
phoronomics |
noun |
The science of motion; kinematics. |
phosphonium |
noun |
The hypothetical radical PH4, analogous to ammonium, and regarded as the nucleus of certain derivatives of phosphine. |
phosphorate |
verb t. |
To impregnate, or combine, with phosphorus or its compounds; as, phosphorated oil. |
phosphorite |
noun |
A massive variety of apatite. |
phosphorize |
verb t. |
To phosphorate. |
phosphorous |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to phosphorus; resembling or containing phosphorus; specifically, designating those compounds in which phosphorus has a lower valence as contrasted with phosphoric compounds; as, phosphorous acid, H3PO3. |
photobiotic |
adjective |
Requiring light to live; incapable of living without light; as, photobiotic plant cells. |
photochromy |
noun |
The art or process of reproducing colors by photography. |
photoglyphy |
noun |
Photoglyphic engraving. See under Photoglyphic. |
photography |
noun |
The science which relates to the action of light on sensitive bodies in the production of pictures, the fixation of images, and the like., The art or process of producing pictures by this action of light. |
photologist |
noun |
One who studies or expounds the laws of light. |
photometric |
adjective |
Alt. of Photometrical |
photophobia |
noun |
A dread or intolerance of light. |
photophonic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to photophone. |
photorelief |
noun |
A printing surface in relief, obtained by photographic means and subsequent manipulations. |
photoscopic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the photoscope or its uses. |
photosphere |
noun |
A sphere of light; esp., the luminous envelope of the sun. |
phototropic |
adjective |
Same as Heliotropic. |
phragmocone |
noun |
The thin chambered shell attached to the anterior end of a belemnite. |
phraseogram |
noun |
A symbol for a phrase. |
phraseology |
noun |
Manner of expression; peculiarity of diction; style., A collection of phrases; a phrase book. |
phrenetical |
adjective |
Relating to phrenitis; suffering from frenzy; delirious; mad; frantic; frenetic. |
phrenograph |
noun |
An instrument for registering the movements of the diaphragm, or midriff, in respiration. |
phrenologer |
noun |
A phrenologist. |
phrenologic |
adjective |
Phrenological. |
phthalimide |
noun |
An imido derivative of phthalic acid, obtained as a white crystalline substance, C6H4.(CO)2NH, which has itself (like succinimide) acid properties, and forms a series of salts. Cf. Imido acid, under Imido. |
phthiriasis |
noun |
A disease (morbus pediculous) consisting in the excessive multiplication of lice on the human body. |
phycochrome |
noun |
A bluish green coloring matter of certain algae. |
phycocyanin |
noun |
Alt. of Phycocyanine |
phycography |
noun |
A description of seaweeds. |
phylactered |
adjective |
Wearing a phylactery. |
phylacteric |
adjective |
Alt. of Phylacterical |
phyllomania |
noun |
An abnormal or excessive production of leaves. |
phyllorhine |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to Phyllorhina and other related genera of bats that have a leaflike membrane around the nostrils. |
phyllostome |
noun |
Any bat of the genus Phyllostoma, or allied genera, having large membranes around the mouth and nose; a nose-leaf bat. |
phyllotaxis |
noun |
The order or arrangement of leaves on the stem; the science of the relative position of leaves. |
physicianed |
adjective |
Licensed as a physician. |
physicology |
noun |
Physics. |
physiognomy |
noun |
The art and science of discovering the predominant temper, and other characteristic qualities of the mind, by the outward appearance, especially by the features of the face., The face or countenance, with respect to the temper of the mind; particular configuration, cast, or expression of countenance, as denoting character., The art telling fortunes by inspection of the features., The general appearance or aspect of a thing, without reference to its scientific characteristics; as, the physiognomy of a plant, or of a meteor. |
physiolatry |
noun |
The worship of the powers or agencies of nature; materialism in religion; nature worship. |
physiologer |
noun |
A physiologist. |
physiologic |
adjective |
Physiological. |
physiophyly |
noun |
The tribal history of the functions, or the history of the paleontological development of vital activities, — being a branch of phylogeny. See Morphophyly. |
physoclisti |
noun pl. |
An order of teleost in which the air bladder has no opening. |
physophorae |
noun pl. |
An order of Siphonophora, furnished with an air sac, or float, and a series of nectocalyces. See Illust. under Nectocalyx. |
phytelephas |
noun |
A genus of South American palm trees, the seeds of which furnish the substance called vegetable ivory. |
phytivorous |
adjective |
Feeding on plants or herbage; phytophagous; as, phytivorous animals. |
phytoglyphy |
noun |
See Nature printing, under Nature. |
phytography |
noun |
The science of describing plants in a systematic manner; also, a description of plants. |
phytologist |
noun |
One skilled in phytology; a writer on plants; a botanist. |
phytophagic |
adjective |
Phytophagous. |
phytotomist |
noun |
One versed in phytotomy. |
phytozoaria |
noun pl. |
Same as Infusoria. |
piacularity |
noun |
The quality or state of being piacular; criminality; wickedness. |
pickpennies |
plural |
of Pickpenny |
picturesque |
adjective |
Forming, or fitted to form, a good or pleasing picture; representing with the clearness or ideal beauty appropriate to a picture; expressing that peculiar kind of beauty which is agreeable in a picture, natural or artificial; graphic; vivid; as, a picturesque scene or attitude; picturesque language. |
picturizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Picturize |
piecemealed |
adjective |
Divided into pieces. |
piedmontite |
noun |
A manganesian kind of epidote, from Piedmont. See Epidote. |
pietistical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Pietists; hence, in contempt, affectedly or demonstratively religious. |
pietra dura |
|
Hard and fine stones in general, such as are used for inlay and the like, as distinguished from the softer stones used in building; thus, a Florentine mosaic is a familiar instance of work in pietra dura, though the ground may be soft marble. |
pignoration |
noun |
The act of pledging or pawning., The taking of cattle doing damage, by way of pledge, till satisfaction is made. |
pignorative |
adjective |
Pledging, pawning. |
pike-devant |
noun |
A pointed beard. |
pill-willet |
noun |
The willet. |
pilocarpine |
noun |
An alkaloid extracted from jaborandi (Pilocarpus pennatifolius) as a white amorphous or crystalline substance which has a peculiar effect on the vasomotor system. |
pinacotheca |
noun |
A picture gallery. |
pipe laying |
|
The laying of conducting pipes underground, as for water, gas, etc., The act or method of making combinations for personal advantage secretly or slyly; — in this sense, usually written as one word. |
piperaceous |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the order of plants (Piperaceae) of which the pepper (Piper nigrum) is the type. There are about a dozen genera and a thousand species, mostly tropical plants with pungent and aromatic qualities. |
pipistrelle |
noun |
A small European bat (Vesperugo pipistrellus); — called also flittermouse. |
pippul tree |
|
Same as Peepul tree. |
pirouetting |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Pirouette |
piscatorial |
adjective |
Alt. of Piscatory |
piscivorous |
adjective |
Feeding or subsisting on fish. |
pissasphalt |
noun |
Earth pitch; a soft, black bitumen of the consistence of tar, and of a strong smell. It is inflammable, and intermediate between petroleum and asphalt. |
pitch-black |
adjective |
Black as pitch or tar. |
pitchblende |
noun |
A pitch-black mineral consisting chiefly of the oxide of uranium; uraninite. See Uraninite. |
pitcherfuls |
plural |
of Pitcherful |
pitch-faced |
adjective |
Having the arris defined by a line beyond which the rock is cut away, so as to give nearly true edges; — said of squared stones that are otherwise quarry-faced. |
placability |
noun |
The quality or state of being placable or appeasable; placable disposition. |
placentalia |
noun pl. |
A division of Mammalia including those that have a placenta, or all the orders above the marsupials. |
placentious |
adjective |
Pleasing; amiable. |
place-proud |
adjective |
Proud of rank or office. |
placodermal |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the placoderms; like the placoderms. |
placoganoid |
adjective |
Pertaining to the Placoganoidei. |
plagiarized |
imp. & past participle |
of Plagiarize |
plagihedral |
adjective |
Having an oblique spiral arrangement of planes, as levogyrate and dextrogyrate crystals. |
plagioclase |
noun |
A general term used of any triclinic feldspar. See the Note under Feldspar. |
plagiostome |
noun |
One of the Plagiostomi. |
plagiostomi |
noun pl. |
An order of fishes including the sharks and rays; — called also Plagiostomata. |
planer tree |
|
A small-leaved North American tree (Planera aquatica) related to the elm, but having a wingless, nutlike fruit. |
plane table |
|
See under Plane, a. |
planetarium |
noun |
An orrery. See Orrery. |
planetoidal |
adjective |
Pertaining to a planetoid. |
planimetric |
adjective |
Alt. of Planimetrical |
planipennia |
noun pl. |
A suborder of Neuroptera, including those that have broad, flat wings, as the ant-lion, lacewing, etc. Called also Planipennes. |
planisphere |
noun |
The representation of the circles of the sphere upon a plane; especially, a representation of the celestial sphere upon a plane with adjustable circles, or other appendages, for showing the position of the heavens, the time of rising and setting of stars, etc., for any given date or hour. |
plank-sheer |
noun |
The course of plank laid horizontally over the timberheads of a vessel’s frame. |
plantership |
noun |
The occupation or position of a planter, or the management of a plantation, as in the United States or the West Indies. |
plantigrada |
noun pl. |
A subdivision of Carnivora having plantigrade feet. It includes the bears, raccoons, and allied species. |
plantigrade |
adjective |
Walking on the sole of the foot; pertaining to the plantigrades., Having the foot so formed that the heel touches the ground when the leg is upright., A plantigrade animal, or one that walks or steps on the sole of the foot, as man, and the bears. |
plantocracy |
noun |
Government by planters; planters, collectively. |
plasmatical |
adjective |
Forming; shaping; molding., Of or pertaining to plasma; having the character of plasma; containing, or conveying, plasma. |
plasterwork |
noun |
Plastering used to finish architectural constructions, exterior or interior, especially that used for the lining of rooms. Ordinarly, mortar is used for the greater part of the work, and pure plaster of Paris for the moldings and ornaments. |
plastically |
adverb |
In a plastic manner. |
plastidozoa |
noun pl. |
Same as Protoza. |
plateresque |
adjective |
Resembling silver plate; — said of certain architectural ornaments. |
platinizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Platinize |
platinotype |
noun |
A permanent photographic picture or print in platinum black., The process by which such pictures are produced. |
platonizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Platonize |
platycnemic |
adjective |
Of, relating to, or characterized by, platycnemism. |
platyhelmia |
noun pl. |
Same as Platyelminthes. |
pleasurable |
adjective |
Capable of affording pleasure or satisfaction; gratifying; abounding in pleasantness or pleasantry. |
pleasureful |
adjective |
Affording pleasure. |
plebeianism |
noun |
The quality or state of being plebeian., The conduct or manners of plebeians; vulgarity. |
plebeianize |
verb t. |
To render plebeian, common, or vulgar. |
plebicolist |
noun |
One who flatters, or courts the favor of, the common people; a demagogue. |
plebiscitum |
noun |
A law enacted by the common people, under the superintendence of a tribune or some subordinate plebeian magistrate, without the intervention of the senate. |
plectognath |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Plectognathi., One of the Plectognathi. |
pleiosaurus |
noun |
Same as Pliosaurus. |
pleistocene |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the epoch, or the deposits, following the Tertiary, and immediately preceding man., The Pleistocene epoch, or deposits. |
plenariness |
noun |
Quality or state of being plenary. |
plenilunary |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the full moon. |
plenipotent |
adjective |
Possessing full power. |
pleochroism |
noun |
The property possessed by some crystals, of showing different colors when viewed in the direction of different axes. |
pleochroous |
adjective |
Pleochroic. |
pleomorphic |
adjective |
Pertaining to pleomorphism; as, the pleomorphic character of bacteria. |
plesiosauri |
plural |
of Plesiosaurus |
plessimeter |
noun |
See Pleximeter. |
plethoretic |
adjective |
Plethoric. |
plethorical |
adjective |
Plethoric. |
pleuritical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to pleurisy; as, pleuritic symptoms., Suffering from pleurisy. |
pleurodynia |
noun |
A painful affection of the side, simulating pleurisy, usually due to rheumatism. |
pleuroptera |
noun pl |
A group of Isectivora, including the colugo. |
pleurosigma |
noun |
A genus of diatoms of elongated elliptical shape, but having the sides slightly curved in the form of a letter S. Pleurosigma angulatum has very fine striations, and is a favorite object for testing the high powers of microscopes. |
pleurosteon |
noun |
The antero-lateral piece which articulates the sternum of birds. |
pleurotomae |
plural |
of Pleurotoma |
pleurotomas |
plural |
of Pleurotoma |
ploughpoint |
noun |
A detachable share at the extreme front end of the plow body. |
ploughshare |
noun |
The share of a plow, or that part which cuts the slice of earth or sod at the bottom of the furrow. |
plumigerous |
adjective |
Feathered; having feathers. |
plumiliform |
adjective |
Having the of a plume or feather. |
plumularlae |
plural |
of Plumularia |
plumularias |
plural |
of Plumularia |
plumularian |
noun |
Any Plumularia. Also used adjectively. |
pluralities |
plural |
of Plurality |
pluralizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Pluralize |
pluriparous |
adjective |
Producing several young at a birth; as, a pluriparous animal. |
plutocratic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to plutocracy; as, plutocratic ideas. |
pluviameter |
noun |
See Pluviometer. |
pluviometer |
noun |
An instrument for ascertaining the amount of rainfall at any place in a given time; a rain gauge. |
pneumatical |
adjective |
Consisting of, or resembling, air; having the properties of an elastic fluid; gaseous; opposed to dense or solid., Of or pertaining to air, or to elastic fluids or their properties; pertaining to pneumatics; as, pneumatic experiments., Moved or worked by pressure or flow of air; as, a pneumatic instrument; a pneumatic engine., Fitted to contain air; Having cavities filled with air; as, pneumatic cells; pneumatic bones. |
pneumograph |
noun |
Same as Pneumatograph. |
pneumometer |
noun |
A spirometer. |
pneumometry |
noun |
Measurement of the capacity of the lungs for air. |
pneumonitic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to pneumonitis. |
pneumonitis |
noun |
Inflammation of the lungs; pneumonia. |
pneumootoka |
noun pl. |
Same as Sauropsida. |
pneumophora |
noun pl. |
A division of holothurians having an internal gill, or respiratory tree. |
pock-broken |
adjective |
Broken out, or marked, with smallpox; pock-fretten. |
pocketknife |
noun |
A knife with one or more blades, which fold into the handle so as to admit of being carried in the pocket. |
pock-pitted |
adjective |
Pockmarked; pitted. |
pococurante |
noun |
A careless person; a trifler. |
podophyllin |
noun |
A brown bitter gum extracted from the rootstalk of the May apple (Podophyllum peltatum). It is a complex mixture of several substances. |
podophyllum |
noun |
A genus of herbs of the Barberry family, having large palmately lobed peltate leaves and solitary flower. There are two species, the American Podohyllum peltatum, or May apple, the Himalayan P. Emodi., The rhizome and rootlet of the May apple (Podophyllum peltatum), — used as a cathartic drug. |
podostomata |
noun pl. |
An order of Bryozoa of which Rhabdopleura is the type. See Rhabdopleura. |
poecilopoda |
noun pl. |
Originally, an artificial group including many parasitic Entomostraca, together with the horseshoe crabs (Limuloidea)., By some recent writers applied to the Merostomata. |
poikilocyte |
noun |
An irregular form of corpuscle found in the blood in cases of profound anaemia, probably a degenerated red blood corpuscle. |
point-blank |
noun |
The white spot on a target, at which an arrow or other missile is aimed., With all small arms, the second point in which the natural line of sight, when horizontal, cuts the trajectory., With artillery, the point where the projectile first strikes the horizontal plane on which the gun stands, the axis of the piece being horizontal., Directed in a line toward the object aimed at; aimed directly toward the mark., Hence, direct; plain; unqualified; — said of language; as, a point-blank assertion., In a point-blank manner. |
pointlessly |
adverb |
Without point. |
polarimeter |
noun |
An instrument for determining the amount of polarization of light, or the proportion of polarized light, in a partially polarized ray. |
polarimetry |
noun |
The art or process of measuring the polarization of light. |
polariscope |
noun |
An instrument consisting essentially of a polarizer and an analyzer, used for polarizing light, and analyzing its properties. |
polariscopy |
noun |
The art or rocess of making observations with the polariscope. |
polarizable |
adjective |
Susceptible of polarization. |
polemoscope |
noun |
An opera glass or field glass with an oblique mirror arranged for seeing objects do not lie directly before the eye; — called also diagonal, / side, opera glass. |
politically |
adverb |
In a political manner., Politicly; artfully. |
pollenizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Pollenize |
polt-footed |
adjective |
Having a distorted foot, or a clubfoot or clubfeet. |
poltroonery |
noun |
Cowardice; want of spirit; pusillanimity. |
poltroonish |
adjective |
Resembling a poltroon; cowardly. |
polyactinia |
noun pl. |
An old name for those Anthozoa which, like the actinias, have numerous simple tentacles. |
polyandrian |
adjective |
Polyandrous. |
polyandrous |
adjective |
Belonging to the class Polyandria; having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle. |
polyarchist |
noun |
One who advocates polyarchy; — opposed to monarchist. |
polybromide |
noun |
A bromide containing more than one atom of bromine in the molecule. |
polycarpous |
adjective |
Bearing fruit repeatedly, or year after year., Having several pistils in one flower. |
polychroism |
noun |
Same as Pleochroism. |
polychroite |
noun |
The coloring matter of saffron; — formerly so called because of the change of color on treatment with certain acids; — called also crocin, and safranin. |
polychromic |
adjective |
Polychromatic., Pertaining to, or designating, any one of several acids (known only in their salts) which contain more than one atom of chromium. |
polycrotism |
noun |
That state or condition of the pulse in which the pulse curve, or sphygmogram, shows several secondary crests or elevations; — contrasted with monocrotism and dicrotism. |
polycystina |
noun pl. |
A division of Radiolaria including numerous minute marine species. The skeleton is composed of silica, and is often very elegant in form and sculpture. Many have been found in the fossil state. |
polycystine |
adjective |
Pertaining to the Polycystina., One of the Polycystina. |
polygastric |
adjective |
Having several bellies; — applied to muscles which are made up of several bellies separated by short tendons., Pertaining to the Polygastrica., One of the Polygastrica. |
polygenesis |
noun |
Alt. of Polygeny |
polygenetic |
adjective |
Having many distinct sources; originating at various places or times., Of or pertaining to polygenesis; polyphyletic. |
polygordius |
noun |
A genus of marine annelids, believed to be an ancient or ancestral type. It is remarkable for its simplicity of structure and want of parapodia. It is the type of the order Archiannelida, or Gymnotoma. See Loeven’s larva. |
polygraphic |
adjective |
Alt. of Polygraphical |
polygrooved |
adjective |
Having many grooves; as, a polygrooved rifle or gun (referring to the rifling). |
polyhedrons |
plural |
of Polyhedron |
polyhedrous |
adjective |
Polyhedral. |
polyloquent |
adjective |
Garrulous; loquacious. |
polymastism |
noun |
The condition of having more than two mammae, or breasts. |
polymathist |
noun |
One versed in many sciences; a person of various learning. |
polymorphic |
adjective |
Polymorphous. |
polymyodous |
adjective |
Polymyoid. |
polynesians |
noun pl. |
The race of men native in Polynesia. |
polynuclear |
adjective |
Containing many nuclei. |
polyonomous |
adjective |
Having many names or titles; polyonymous. |
polyonymous |
adjective |
Polyonomous. |
polyphagous |
adjective |
Eating, or subsisting on, many kinds of food; as, polyphagous animals. |
polyphonism |
noun |
Polyphony. |
polyphonist |
noun |
A proficient in the art of multiplying sounds; a ventriloquist., A master of polyphony; a contrapuntist. |
polyphonous |
adjective |
Same as Polyphonic. |
polyplastic |
adjective |
Assuming, or having the power of assuming, many forms; as, a polyplastic element which does not preserve its original shape. |
polyrhizous |
adjective |
Having numerous roots, or rootlets. |
polysilicic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to compounds formed by the condensation of two or more molecules of silicic acid. |
polysporous |
adjective |
Containing many spores. |
polystomata |
noun pl. |
A division of trematode worms having more two suckers. Called also Polystomea and Polystoma. |
polytechnic |
adjective |
Comprehending, or relating to, many arts and sciences; — applied particularly to schools in which many branches of art and science are taught with especial reference to their practical application; also to exhibitions of machinery and industrial products. |
polythelism |
noun |
The condition of having more than two teats, or nipples. |
polyzoarium |
noun |
Same as Polyzoary. |
pomegranate |
noun |
The fruit of the tree Punica Granatum; also, the tree itself (see Balaustine), which is native in the Orient, but is successfully cultivated in many warm countries, and as a house plant in colder climates. The fruit is as large as an orange, and has a hard rind containing many rather large seeds, each one separately covered with crimson, acid pulp., A carved or embroidered ornament resembling a pomegranate. |
pomological |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to pomology. |
pomposities |
plural |
of Pomposity |
ponderation |
noun |
The act of weighing. |
ponderosity |
noun |
The quality or state of being ponderous; weight; gravity; heaviness, ponderousness; as, the ponderosity of gold. |
ponderously |
adverb |
In a ponderous manner. |
pontificate |
noun |
The state or dignity of a high priest; specifically, the office of the pope., The term of office of a pontiff., To perform the duty of a pontiff. |
pontificial |
adjective |
Papal; pontifical. |
pontifician |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the pontiff or pope., One who adheres to the pope or papacy; a papist. |
poor-willie |
noun |
The bar-tailed godwit. |
popularized |
imp. & past participle |
of Popularize |
popularizer |
noun |
One who popularizes. |
popularness |
noun |
The quality or state of being popular; popularity. |
porcelanite |
noun |
A semivitrified clay or shale, somewhat resembling jasper; — called also porcelain jasper. |
porcelanous |
adjective |
Alt. of Porcellanous |
pornerastic |
adjective |
Lascivious; licentious. |
pornography |
noun |
Licentious painting or literature; especially, the painting anciently employed to decorate the walls of rooms devoted to bacchanalian orgies., A treatise on prostitutes, or prostitution. |
porphyritic |
adjective |
Relating to, or resembling, porphyry, that is, characterized by the presence of distinct crystals, as of feldspar, quartz, or augite, in a relatively fine-grained base, often aphanitic or cryptocrystalline. |
portability |
noun |
The quality or state of being portable; fitness to be carried. |
porterhouse |
noun |
A house where porter is sold. |
portionless |
adjective |
Having no portion. |
portmanteau |
noun |
A bag or case, usually of leather, for carrying wearing apparel, etc., on journeys. |
portraitist |
noun |
A portrait painter. |
portraiture |
noun |
A portrait; a likeness; a painted resemblance; hence, that which is copied from some example or model., Pictures, collectively; painting., The art or practice of making portraits., To represent by a portrait, or as by a portrait; to portray. |
posological |
adjective |
Pertaining to posology. |
possessival |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the possessive case; as, a possessival termination. |
possibility |
noun |
The quality or state of being possible; the power of happening, being, or existing., That which is possible; a contingency; a thing or event that may not happen; a contingent interest, as in real or personal estate. |
posteriorly |
adverb |
Subsequently in time; also, behind in position. |
postfrontal |
adjective |
Situated behind the frontal bone or the frontal region of the skull; — applied especially to a bone back of and below the frontal in many animals., A postfrontal bone. |
postglenoid |
adjective |
Situated behind the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone. |
postillator |
noun |
One who postillates; one who expounds the Scriptures verse by verse. |
postmarking |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Postmark |
post-mortem |
adjective |
After death; as, post-mortem rigidity. |
postnuptial |
adjective |
Being or happening after marriage; as, a postnuptial settlement on a wife. |
post office |
noun |
See under 4th Post. |
postorbital |
adjective |
Situated behind the orbit; as, the postorbital scales of some fishes and reptiles., A postorbital bone or scale. |
postponence |
noun |
The act of postponing, in sense 2. |
postscapula |
noun |
The part of the scapula behind or below the spine, or mesoscapula. |
postscenium |
noun |
The part of a theater behind the scenes; the back part of the stage of a theater. |
post-tragus |
noun |
A ridge within and behind the tragus in the ear of some animals. |
postulating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Postulate |
postulation |
noun |
The act of postulating, or that which is postulated; assumption; solicitation; suit; cause. |
postulatory |
adjective |
Of the nature of a postulate. |
potableness |
noun |
The quality of being drinkable. |
potassamide |
noun |
A yellowish brown substance obtained by heating potassium in ammonia. |
pot-bellied |
adjective |
Having a protuberant belly, like the bottom of a pot. |
potentially |
adverb |
With power; potently., In a potential manner; possibly, not positively. |
potentiated |
imp. & past participle |
of Potentiate |
potentizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Potentize |
potestative |
adjective |
Authoritative. |
pot-valiant |
adjective |
Having the courage given by drink. |
pouchet box |
|
See Pouncet box. |
pouch-shell |
noun |
A small British and American pond snail (Bulinus hypnorum). |
pouncet box |
|
A box with a perforated lid, for sprinkling pounce, or for holding perfumes. |
pourparties |
plural |
of Pourparty |
poursuivant |
noun |
See Pursuivant. |
pourveyance |
noun |
See Purveyance. |
powderflask |
noun |
A flask in which gunpowder is carried, having a charging tube at the end. |
practicable |
adjective |
That may be practiced or performed; capable of being done or accomplished with available means or resources; feasible; as, a practicable method; a practicable aim; a practicable good., Capable of being used; passable; as, a practicable weapon; a practicable road. |
practically |
adverb |
In a practical way; not theoretically; really; as, to look at things practically; practically worthless., By means of practice or use; by experience or experiment; as, practically wise or skillful; practically acquainted with a subject., In practice or use; as, a medicine practically safe; theoretically wrong, but practically right., Almost. |
praecognita |
noun pl. |
This previously known, or which should be known in order to understand something else. |
praecordial |
adjective |
Same as Precordial. |
praemaxilla |
noun |
See Premaxilla. |
praesternum |
noun |
Same as Preoral, Prepubis, Prescapula, etc. |
pragmatical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to business or to affairs; of the nature of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner., Busy; specifically, busy in an objectionable way; officious; fussy and positive; meddlesome., Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; — said of literature. |
prattlement |
noun |
Prattle. |
preacquaint |
verb t. |
To acquaint previously or beforehand. |
preadamitic |
adjective |
Existing or occurring before Adam; preadamic; as, preadamitic periods. |
preadmonish |
verb t. |
To admonish previously. |
preambulary |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a preamble; introductory; contained or provided for in a preamble. |
preambulate |
verb i. |
To walk before. |
preambulous |
noun |
See Perambulatory. |
preannounce |
verb t. |
To announce beforehand. |
preaudience |
noun |
Precedence of rank at the bar among lawyers. |
prebendship |
noun |
A prebendaryship. |
precautious |
adjective |
Taking or using precaution; precautionary. |
precedented |
adjective |
Having a precedent; authorized or sanctioned by an example of a like kind. |
precedently |
adverb |
Beforehand; antecedently. |
precellence |
noun |
Alt. of Precellency |
precellency |
noun |
Excellence; superiority. |
preceptress |
noun |
A woman who is the principal of a school; a female teacher. |
precipitant |
adjective |
Falling or rushing headlong; rushing swiftly, violently, or recklessly; moving precipitately., Unexpectedly or foolishly brought on or hastened; rashly hurried; hasty; sudden; reckless., Any force or reagent which causes the formation of a precipitate. |
precipitate |
adjective |
Overhasty; rash; as, the king was too precipitate in declaring war., Lacking due deliberation or care; hurried; said or done before the time; as, a precipitate measure., Falling, flowing, or rushing, with steep descent; headlong., Ending quickly in death; brief and fatal; as, a precipitate case of disease., An insoluble substance separated from a solution in a concrete state by the action of some reagent added to the solution, or of some force, such as heat or cold. The precipitate may fall to the bottom (whence the name), may be diffused through the solution, or may float at or near the surface., To throw headlong; to cast down from a precipice or height., To urge or press on with eager haste or violence; to cause to happen, or come to a crisis, suddenly or too soon; as, precipitate a journey, or a conflict., To separate from a solution, or other medium, in the form of a precipitate; as, water precipitates camphor when in solution with alcohol., To dash or fall headlong., To hasten without preparation., To separate from a solution as a precipitate. See Precipitate, n. |
precipitous |
adjective |
Steep, like a precipice; as, a precipitous cliff or mountain., Headlong; as, precipitous fall., Hasty; rash; quick; sudden; precipitate; as, precipitous attempts. |
precogitate |
verb t. |
To cogitate beforehand. |
precognosce |
verb t. |
To examine beforehand, as witnesses or evidence. |
precomposed |
imp. & past participle |
of Precompose |
preconceive |
verb t. |
To conceive, or form an opinion of, beforehand; to form a previous notion or idea of. |
preconizate |
verb t. |
To proclaim; to publish; also, to summon; to call. |
precontract |
verb t. |
To contract, engage, or stipulate previously., To make a previous contract or agreement., A contract preceding another, a contract of marriage which, according to the ancient law, rendered void a subsequent marriage solemnized in violation of it. |
precontrive |
verb t. & i. |
To contrive or plan beforehand. |
precoracoid |
noun |
The anterior part of the coracoid (often closely united with the clavicle) in the shoulder girdle of many reptiles and amphibians. |
predatorily |
adverb |
In a predatory manner. |
predecessor |
noun |
One who precedes; one who has preceded another in any state, position, office, etc.; one whom another follows or comes after, in any office or position. |
predestined |
imp. & past participle |
of Predestine |
predicament |
noun |
A class or kind described by any definite marks; hence, condition; particular situation or state; especially, an unfortunate or trying position or condition., See Category. |
predicating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Predicate |
predication |
noun |
The act of predicating, or of affirming one thing of another; affirmation; assertion., Preaching. |
predicative |
adjective |
Expressing affirmation or predication; affirming; predicating, as, a predicative term. |
predicatory |
adjective |
Affirmative; positive. |
predicrotic |
adjective |
A term applied to the pulse wave sometimes seen in a pulse curve or sphygmogram, between the apex of the curve and the dicrotic wave. |
predictable |
adjective |
That may be predicted. |
prediscover |
verb t. |
To discover beforehand. |
predisposed |
imp. & past participle |
of Predispose |
predominant |
adjective |
Having the ascendency over others; superior in strength, influence, or authority; prevailing; as, a predominant color; predominant excellence. |
predominate |
verb i. |
To be superior in number, strength, influence, or authority; to have controlling power or influence; to prevail; to rule; to have the mastery; as, love predominated in her heart., To rule over; to overpower. |
preelection |
noun |
Election beforehand. |
preeminence |
noun |
The quality or state of being preeminent; superiority in prominence or in excellence; distinction above others in quality, rank, etc.; rarely, in a bad sense, superiority or notoriety in evil; as, preeminence in honor. |
preengaging |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Preengage |
preeternity |
noun |
Infinite previous duration. |
preexamined |
imp. & past participle |
of Preexamine |
preexisting |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Preexist |
preexistent |
adjective |
Existing previously; preceding existence; as, a preexistent state. |
prefatorial |
adjective |
Prefatory. |
prefatorily |
adverb |
In a prefatory manner; by way of preface. |
prefectship |
noun |
The office or jurisdiction of a prefect. |
prefigurate |
verb t. |
To prefigure. |
prefiguring |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prefigure |
prefinition |
noun |
Previous limitation. |
prefulgency |
noun |
Superior brightness or effulgency. |
prehistoric |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a period before written history begins; as, the prehistoric ages; prehistoric man. |
preinstruct |
verb t. |
To instruct previously or beforehand. |
prejudgment |
noun |
The act of prejudging; decision before sufficient examination. |
prejudicacy |
noun |
Prejudice; prepossession. |
prejudicant |
adjective |
Influenced by prejudice; biased. |
prejudicate |
adjective |
Formed before due examination., Biased by opinions formed prematurely; prejudiced., To determine beforehand, especially to disadvantage; to prejudge., To prejudge. |
prejudicing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prejudice |
prejudicial |
adjective |
Biased, possessed, or blinded by prejudices; as, to look with a prejudicial eye., Tending to obstruct or impair; hurtful; injurious; disadvantageous; detrimental. |
prelateship |
noun |
The office of a prelate. |
prelatizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prelatize |
prelibation |
noun |
A tasting beforehand, or by anticipation; a foretaste; as, a prelibation of heavenly bliss., A pouring out, or libation, before tasting. |
preliminary |
adjective |
Introductory; previous; preceding the main discourse or business; prefatory; as, preliminary observations to a discourse or book; preliminary articles to a treaty; preliminary measures; preliminary examinations., That which precedes the main discourse, work, design, or business; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one’s preliminaries the year before entering college. |
prelusorily |
adverb |
In a prelusory way. |
prematurity |
noun |
The quality or state of being premature; early, or untimely, ripeness; as, the prematurity of genius. |
premaxillae |
plural |
of Premaxilla |
premeditate |
verb t. |
To think on, and revolve in the mind, beforehand; to contrive and design previously; as, to premeditate robbery., To think, consider, deliberate, or revolve in the mind, beforehand., Premeditated; deliberate. |
premiership |
noun |
The office of the premier. |
premonished |
imp. & past participle |
of Premonish |
premonition |
noun |
Previous warning, notice, or information; forewarning; as, a premonition of danger. |
premonitory |
adjective |
Giving previous warning or notice; as, premonitory symptoms of disease. |
premunition |
noun |
The act of fortifying or guarding against objections. |
premunitory |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a premunire; as, a premunitory process. |
prenominate |
adjective |
Forenamed; named beforehand., To forename; to name beforehand; to tell by name beforehand. |
prenuncious |
adjective |
Announcing beforehand; presaging. |
preoccupate |
verb t. |
To anticipate; to take before., To prepossess; to prejudice. |
preoccupied |
imp. & past participle |
of Preoccupy |
preordinate |
adjective |
Preordained. |
preparation |
noun |
The act of preparing or fitting beforehand for a particular purpose, use, service, or condition; previous arrangement or adaptation; a making ready; as, the preparation of land for a crop of wheat; the preparation of troops for a campaign., The state of being prepared or made ready; preparedness; readiness; fitness; as, a nation in good preparation for war., That which makes ready, prepares the way, or introduces; a preparatory act or measure., That which is prepared, made, or compounded by a certain process or for a particular purpose; a combination. Specifically: (a) Any medicinal substance fitted for use. (b) Anything treated for preservation or examination as a specimen. (c) Something prepared for use in cookery., An army or fleet., The holding over of a note from one chord into the next chord, where it forms a temporary discord, until resolved in the chord that follows; the anticipation of a discordant note in the preceding concord, so that the ear is prepared for the shock. See Suspension., Accomplishment; qualification. |
preparative |
adjective |
Tending to prepare or make ready; having the power of preparing, qualifying, or fitting; preparatory., That which has the power of preparing, or previously fitting for a purpose; that which prepares., That which is done in the way of preparation. |
preparatory |
adjective |
Preparing the way for anything by previous measures of adaptation; antecedent and adapted to what follows; introductory; preparative; as, a preparatory school; a preparatory condition. |
prepollence |
noun |
Alt. of Prepollency |
prepollency |
noun |
The quality or state of being prepollent; superiority of power; predominance; prevalence. |
prepollices |
plural |
of Prepollent |
preposition |
noun |
A word employed to connect a noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word; a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word; — so called because usually placed before the word with which it is phrased; as, a bridge of iron; he comes from town; it is good for food; he escaped by running., A proposition; an exposition; a discourse. |
prepositive |
adjective |
Put before; prefixed; as, a prepositive particle., A prepositive word. |
prepositure |
noun |
The office or dignity of a provost; a provostship. |
preresolved |
imp. & past participle |
of Preresolve |
prerogative |
noun |
An exclusive or peculiar privilege; prior and indefeasible right; fundamental and essential possession; — used generally of an official and hereditary right which may be asserted without question, and for the exercise of which there is no responsibility or accountability as to the fact and the manner of its exercise., Precedence; preeminence; first rank. |
presagement |
noun |
The act or art of presaging; a foreboding., That which is presaged, or foretold. |
presbyteral |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a presbyter or presbytery; presbyterial. |
presscapula |
noun |
The part of the scapula in front of, or above, the spine, or mesoscapula. |
prescapular |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the prescapula; supraspinous. |
presciently |
adverb |
With prescience or foresight. |
prescribing |
p. pr & vb. noun |
of Prescribe |
presentable |
adjective |
Capable or admitting of being presented; suitable to be exhibited, represented, or offered; fit to be brought forward or set forth; hence, fitted to be introduced to another, or to go into society; as, ideas that are presentable in simple language; she is not presentable in such a gown., Admitting of the presentation of a clergiman; as, a church presentable. |
presentiate |
verb t. |
To make present. |
presentient |
adjective |
Feeling or perceiving beforehand. |
presentific |
adjective |
Making present. |
presentment |
noun |
The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; presentation., Setting forth to view; delineation; appearance; representation; exhibition., The notice taken by a grand jury of any offence from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them, as, the presentment of a nuisance, a libel, or the like; also, an inquisition of office and indictment by a grand jury; an official accusation presented to a tribunal by the grand jury in an indictment, or the act of offering an indictment; also, the indictment itself., The official notice (formerly required to be given in court) of the surrender of a copyhold estate. |
presentness |
noun |
The quality or state of being present; presence. |
preservable |
adjective |
Capable of being preserved; admitting of preservation. |
presphenoid |
adjective |
Situated in front of the sphenoid bone; of or pertaining to the anterior part of the sphenoid bone (i. e., the presphenoid bone)., The presphenoid bone. |
prestigious |
adjective |
Practicing tricks; juggling. |
prestissimo |
adverb |
Very quickly; with great rapidity. |
presumingly |
adverb |
Confidently; arrogantly. |
presumption |
noun |
The act of presuming, or believing upon probable evidence; the act of assuming or taking for granted; belief upon incomplete proof., Ground for presuming; evidence probable, but not conclusive; strong probability; reasonable supposition; as, the presumption is that an event has taken place., That which is presumed or assumed; that which is supposed or believed to be real or true, on evidence that is probable but not conclusive., The act of venturing beyond due beyond due bounds; an overstepping of the bounds of reverence, respect, or courtesy; forward, overconfident, or arrogant opinion or conduct; presumptuousness; arrogance; effrontery. |
presumptive |
adjective |
Based on presumption or probability; grounded on probable evidence; probable; as, presumptive proof., Presumptuous; arrogant. |
presupposal |
noun |
Presupposition. |
presupposed |
imp. & past participle |
of Presuppose |
presystolic |
adjective |
Preceding the systole or contraction of the heart; as, the presystolic friction sound. |
pretemporal |
adjective |
Situated in front of the temporal bone. |
pretenceful |
adjective |
Alt. of Pretenceless |
pretendence |
noun |
The act of pretending; pretense. |
pretenseful |
adjective |
Abounding in pretenses. |
pretentious |
adjective |
Full of pretension; disposed to lay claim to more than is one’s; presuming; assuming. |
preterhuman |
adjective |
More than human. |
preterition |
noun |
The act of passing, or going past; the state of being past., A figure by which, in pretending to pass over anything, a summary mention of it is made; as, “I will not say, he is valiant, he is learned, he is just.” Called also paraleipsis., The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs who is entitled to a portion. |
preteritive |
adjective |
Used only or chiefly in the preterit or past tenses, as certain verbs. |
preterlegal |
adjective |
Exceeding the limits of law. |
pretertiary |
adjective |
Earlier than Tertiary. |
pretypified |
imp. & past participle |
of Pretypify |
prevailment |
noun |
Prevalence; superior influence; efficacy. |
prevalently |
adverb |
In a prevalent manner. |
prevaricate |
verb i. |
To shift or turn from one side to the other, from the direct course, or from truth; to speak with equivocation; to shuffle; to quibble; as, he prevaricates in his statement., To collude, as where an informer colludes with the defendant, and makes a sham prosecution., To undertake a thing falsely and deceitfully, with the purpose of defeating or destroying it., To evade by a quibble; to transgress; to pervert. |
prevenience |
noun |
The act of going before; anticipation. |
preventable |
adjective |
Capable of being prevented or hindered; as, preventable diseases. |
priapulacea |
noun pl. |
A suborder of Gephyraea, having a cylindrical body with a terminal anal opening, and usually with one or two caudal gills. |
prick-eared |
adjective |
Having erect, pointed ears; — said of certain dogs. |
pricking-up |
noun |
The first coating of plaster in work of three coats upon laths. Its surface is scratched once to form a better key for the next coat. In the United States called scratch coat. |
prickleback |
noun |
Alt. of Pricklefish |
pricklefish |
noun |
The stickleback. |
prickliness |
noun |
The quality of being prickly, or of having many prickles. |
priestcraft |
noun |
Priestly policy; the policy of a priesthood; esp., in an ill sense, fraud or imposition in religious concerns; management by priests to gain wealth and power by working upon the religious motives or credulity of others. |
prima donna |
adjective |
The first or chief female singer in an opera. |
prima facie |
|
At first view; on the first appearance. |
primariness |
noun |
The quality or state of being primary, or first in time, in act, or in intention. |
primateship |
noun |
The office, dignity, or position of a primate; primacy. |
primigenial |
adjective |
First born, or first of all; original; primary. See Primogenial. |
primigenous |
adjective |
First formed or generated; original; primigenial. |
primiparous |
adjective |
Belonging to a first birth; bearing young for the first time. |
primitively |
adverb |
Originally; at first., Primarily; not derivatively., According to the original rule or ancient practice; in the ancient style. |
primogenial |
adjective |
First born, made, or generated; original; primary; elemental; as, primogenial light. |
primordiate |
adjective |
Primordial. |
principally |
adverb |
In a principal manner; primarily; above all; chiefly; mainly. |
principiant |
adjective |
Relating to principles or beginnings. |
principiate |
verb t. |
To begin; to initiate. |
principling |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Principle |
prinpriddle |
noun |
The long-tailed titmouse. |
prismatical |
adjective |
Resembling, or pertaining to, a prism; as, a prismatic form or cleavage., Separated or distributed by a prism; formed by a prism; as, prismatic colors., Same as Orthorhombic. |
privateered |
imp. & past participle |
of Privateer |
privateness |
noun |
Seclusion from company or society; retirement; privacy; secrecy., The state of one not invested with public office. |
privatively |
adverb |
In a privative manner; by the absence of something; negatively. |
privileging |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Privilege |
probabilism |
noun |
The doctrine of the probabilists. |
probabilist |
noun |
One who maintains that certainty is impossible, and that probability alone is to govern our faith and actions., One who maintains that a man may do that which has a probability of being right, or which is inculcated by teachers of authority, although other opinions may seem to him still more probable. |
probability |
noun |
The quality or state of being probable; appearance of reality or truth; reasonable ground of presumption; likelihood., That which is or appears probable; anything that has the appearance of reality or truth., Likelihood of the occurrence of any event in the doctrine of chances, or the ratio of the number of favorable chances to the whole number of chances, favorable and unfavorable. See 1st Chance, n., 5. |
probational |
adjective |
Probationary. |
probationer |
noun |
One who is undergoing probation; one who is on trial; a novice., A student in divinity, who, having received certificates of good morals and qualifications from his university, is admitted to several trials by a presbytery, and, on acquitting himself well, is licensed to preach. |
problematic |
adjective |
Alt. of Problematical |
proboscidea |
noun pl. |
An order of large mammals including the elephants and mastodons. |
proboscides |
plural |
of Proboscis |
procatarxis |
noun |
The kindling of a disease into action; also, the procatarctic cause. |
procephalic |
adjective |
Pertaining to, or forming, the front of the head. |
procerebrum |
noun |
The prosencephalon. |
prochronism |
noun |
The dating of an event before the time it happened; an antedating; — opposed to metachronism. |
prochronize |
verb t. |
To antedate. |
procidentia |
noun |
A falling down; a prolapsus. |
proclaiming |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Proclaim |
proconsular |
adjective |
Alt. of Proconsulary |
procrastine |
verb t. |
To procrastinate. |
procreating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Procreate |
procreation |
noun |
The act of begetting; generation and production of young. |
procreative |
adjective |
Having the power to beget; generative. |
procrustean |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to Procrustes, or the mode of torture practiced by him; producing conformity by violent means; as, the Procrustean treatment; a Procrustean limit. See Procrustes. |
proctodaeum |
noun |
See Mesenteron. |
proctorical |
adjective |
Proctorial. |
proctorship |
noun |
The office or dignity of a proctor; also, the term of his office. |
procuracies |
plural |
of Procuracy |
procuration |
noun |
The act of procuring; procurement., The management of another’s affairs., The instrument by which a person is empowered to transact the affairs of another; a proxy., A sum of money paid formerly to the bishop or archdeacon, now to the ecclesiastical commissioners, by an incumbent, as a commutation for entertainment at the time of visitation; — called also proxy. |
procuratory |
adjective |
Tending to, or authorizing, procuration. |
procurement |
noun |
The act of procuring or obtaining; obtainment; attainment., Efficient contrivance; management; agency. |
prodigality |
noun |
Extravagance in expenditure, particularly of money; excessive liberality; profusion; waste; — opposed to frugality, economy, and parsimony. |
prodigalize |
verb i. |
To act as a prodigal; to spend liberally., To expend lavishly. |
producement |
noun |
Production. |
productible |
adjective |
Capable of being produced; producible. |
productress |
noun |
A female producer. |
proeguminal |
adjective |
Serving to predispose; predisposing; as, a proeguminal cause of disease. |
proemptosis |
noun |
The addition of a day to the lunar calendar. |
profanation |
verb t. |
The act of violating sacred things, or of treating them with contempt or irreverence; irreverent or too familiar treatment or use of what is sacred; desecration; as, the profanation of the Sabbath; the profanation of a sanctuary; the profanation of the name of God., The act of treating with abuse or disrespect, or with undue publicity, or lack of delicacy. |
profaneness |
noun |
The quality or state of being profane; especially, the use of profane language. |
professedly |
adverb |
By profession. |
proficience |
noun |
Alt. of Proficiency |
proficiency |
noun |
The quality of state of being proficient; advance in the acquisition of any art, science, or knowledge; progression in knowledge; improvement; adeptness; as, to acquire proficiency in music. |
profuseness |
noun |
Extravagance; profusion. |
progenerate |
verb t. |
To beget; to generate; to produce; to procreate; as, to progenerate a race. |
progeniture |
noun |
A begetting, or birth. |
prognathism |
noun |
Projection of the jaws. |
prognathous |
adjective |
Having the jaws projecting beyond the upper part of the face; — opposed to orthognathous. See Gnathic index, under Gnathic. |
programmata |
plural |
of Programma |
progressing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Progress |
progression |
noun |
The act of moving forward; a proceeding in a course; motion onward., Course; passage; lapse or process of time., Regular or proportional advance in increase or decrease of numbers; continued proportion, arithmetical, geometrical, or harmonic., A regular succession of tones or chords; the movement of the parts in harmony; the order of the modulations in a piece from key to key. |
progressist |
noun |
One who makes, or holds to, progress; a progressionist. |
progressive |
adjective |
Moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; — opposed to retrograde., Improving; as, art is in a progressive state. |
prohibiting |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prohibit |
prohibition |
noun |
The act of prohibiting; a declaration or injunction forbidding some action; interdict., Specifically, the forbidding by law of the sale of alcoholic liquors as beverages. |
prohibitive |
adjective |
That prohibits; prohibitory; as, a tax whose effect is prohibitive. |
prohibitory |
adjective |
Tending to prohibit, forbid, or exclude; implying prohibition; forbidding; as, a prohibitory law; a prohibitory price. |
projectment |
noun |
Design; contrivance; projection. |
prolegomena |
plural |
of Prolegomenon |
proleptical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to prolepsis; anticipative., Previous; antecedent., Anticipating the usual time; — applied to a periodical disease whose paroxysms return at an earlier hour at every repetition. |
proletarian |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the proletaries; belonging to the commonalty; hence, mean; vile; vulgar., A proletary. |
proletariat |
noun |
The indigent class in the State; the body of proletarians. |
proletaries |
plural |
of Proletary |
proliferate |
verb t. |
To produce or form cells; especially, to produce cells rapidly., To produce zooids by budding. |
proliferous |
adjective |
Bearing offspring; — applied to a flower from within which another is produced, or to a branch or frond from which another rises, or to a plant which is reproduced by buds or gemmae., Producing young by budding., Producing sexual zooids by budding; — said of the blastostyle of a hydroid., Producing a cluster of branchlets from a larger branch; — said of corals. |
prolificacy |
noun |
Prolificness. |
prolificate |
verb t. |
To make prolific; to fertilize; to impregnate. |
prolongable |
adjective |
Capable of being prolonged; as, life is prolongable by care. |
prolongated |
imp. & past participle |
of Prolongate |
prolongment |
noun |
Prolongation. |
promanation |
noun |
The act of flowing forth; emanation; efflux. |
promenading |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Promenade |
prominently |
adverb |
In a prominent manner. |
promiscuity |
noun |
Promiscuousness; confusion. |
promiscuous |
adjective |
Consisting of individuals united in a body or mass without order; mingled; confused; undistinguished; as, a promiscuous crowd or mass., Distributed or applied without order or discrimination; not restricted to an individual; common; indiscriminate; as, promiscuous love or intercourse. |
prompt-book |
noun |
The book used by a prompter of a theater. |
promptitude |
adjective |
The quality of being prompt; quickness of decision and action when occasion demands; alacrity; as, promptitude in obedience. |
prompt-note |
noun |
A memorandum of a sale, and time when payment is due, given to the purchaser at a sale of goods. |
promulgated |
imp. & past participle |
of Promulgate |
promulgator |
noun |
One who promulgates or publishes. |
pronounging |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Pronounce |
pronouncing |
adjective |
Pertaining to, or indicating, pronunciation; as, a pronouncing dictionary. |
proof-proof |
adjective |
Proof against proofs; obstinate in the wrong. |
proostracum |
noun |
The anterior prolongation of the guard of the phragmocone of belemnites and allied fossil cephalopods, whether horny or calcareous. See Illust. of Phragmocone. |
propagating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Propagate |
propagation |
noun |
The act of propagating; continuance or multiplication of the kind by generation or successive production; as, the propagation of animals or plants., The spreading abroad, or extension, of anything; diffusion; dissemination; as, the propagation of sound; the propagation of the gospel. |
propagative |
adjective |
Producing by propagation, or by a process of growth. |
propendency |
noun |
Propensity., Attentive deliberation. |
properation |
noun |
The act of hastening; haste. |
prophesying |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prophesy |
prophetical |
adjective |
Containing, or pertaining to, prophecy; foretelling events; as, prophetic writings; prophetic dreams; — used with of before the thing foretold. |
prophylaxis |
noun |
The art of preserving from, or of preventing, disease; the observance of the rules necessary for the preservation of health; preservative or preventive treatment. |
propination |
noun |
The act of pledging, or drinking first, and then offering the cup to another. |
propinquity |
noun |
Nearness in place; neighborhood; proximity., Nearness in time., Nearness of blood; kindred; affinity. |
propithecus |
noun |
A genus including the long-tailed, or diadem, indris. See Indris. |
propitiable |
adjective |
Capable of being propitiated. |
propitiated |
imp. & past participle |
of Propitiate |
propitiator |
noun |
One who propitiates or appeases. |
proplastics |
noun |
The art of making molds for castings. |
propodialia |
plural |
of Propodiale |
proposition |
noun |
The act of setting or placing before; the act of offering., That which is proposed; that which is offered, as for consideration, acceptance, or adoption; a proposal; as, the enemy made propositions of peace; his proposition was not accepted., A statement of religious doctrine; an article of faith; creed; as, the propositions of Wyclif and Huss., A complete sentence, or part of a sentence consisting of a subject and predicate united by a copula; a thought expressed or propounded in language; a from of speech in which a predicate is affirmed or denied of a subject; as, snow is white., A statement in terms of a truth to be demonstrated, or of an operation to be performed., That which is offered or affirmed as the subject of the discourse; anything stated or affirmed for discussion or illustration., The part of a poem in which the author states the subject or matter of it. |
propounding |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Propound |
proprietary |
noun |
A proprietor or owner; one who has exclusive title to a thing; one who possesses, or holds the title to, a thing in his own right., A body proprietors, taken collectively., A monk who had reserved goods and effects to himself, notwithstanding his renunciation of all at the time of profession., Belonging, or pertaining, to a proprietor; considered as property; owned; as, proprietary medicine. |
proprieties |
plural |
of Propriety |
propterygia |
plural |
of Propterygium |
propugnacle |
noun |
A fortress. |
propylidene |
noun |
See Propidene. |
prorogation |
noun |
The act of counting in duration; prolongation., The act of proroguing; the ending of the session of Parliament, and postponing of its business, by the command of the sovereign. |
proscolices |
plural |
of Proscolex |
proscribing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Proscribe |
prosecuting |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prosecute |
prosecution |
noun |
The act or process of prosecuting, or of endeavoring to gain or accomplish something; pursuit by efforts of body or mind; as, the prosecution of a scheme, plan, design, or undertaking; the prosecution of war., The institution and carrying on of a suit in a court of law or equity, to obtain some right, or to redress and punish some wrong; the carrying on of a judicial proceeding in behalf of a complaining party, as distinguished from defense., The institution, or commencement, and continuance of a criminal suit; the process of exhibiting formal charges against an offender before a legal tribunal, and pursuing them to final judgment on behalf of the state or government, as by indictment or information., The party by whom criminal proceedings are instituted. |
prosecutrix |
noun |
A female prosecutor. |
proselyting |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Proselyte |
proselytism |
noun |
The act or practice of proselyting; the making of converts to a religion or a religious sect, or to any opinion, system, or party., Conversion to a religion, system, or party. |
proselytize |
verb t. |
To convert to some religion, system, opinion, or the like; to bring, or cause to come, over; to proselyte., To make converts or proselytes. |
proseminary |
noun |
A seminary which prepares pupils for a higher institution. |
prosenchyma |
noun |
A general term applied to the tissues formed of elongated cells, especially those with pointed or oblique extremities, as the principal cells of ordinary wood. |
prosiliency |
noun |
The act of leaping forth or forward; projection. |
prosobranch |
noun |
One of the Prosobranchiata. |
prosocoelle |
plural |
of Prosocoelia |
prosocoelia |
noun |
Same as Prosocoele. |
prosodiacal |
adjective |
Prosodical. |
prosopalgia |
noun |
Facial neuralgia. |
prosopop/ia |
noun |
A figure by which things are represented as persons, or by which things inanimate are spoken of as animated beings; also, a figure by which an absent person is introduced as speaking, or a deceased person is represented as alive and present. It includes personification, but is more extensive in its signification. |
prospecting |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prospect |
prospection |
noun |
The act of looking forward, or of providing for future wants; foresight. |
prospective |
noun |
Of or pertaining to a prospect; furnishing a prospect; perspective., Looking forward in time; acting with foresight; — opposed to retrospective., Being within view or consideration, as a future event or contingency; relating to the future: expected; as, a prospective benefit., The scene before or around, in time or in space; view; prospect., A perspective glass. |
prostatitis |
noun |
Inflammation of the prostate. |
prostituted |
imp. & past participle |
of Prostitute |
prostitutor |
noun |
One who prostitutes; one who submits himself, of or offers another, to vile purposes. |
prostrating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Prostrate |
prostration |
noun |
The act of prostrating, throwing down, or laying fiat; as, the prostration of the body., The act of falling down, or of bowing in humility or adoration; primarily, the act of falling on the face, but usually applied to kneeling or bowing in reverence and worship., The condition of being prostrate; great depression; lowness; dejection; as, a postration of spirits., A latent, not an exhausted, state of the vital energies; great oppression of natural strength and vigor. |
prosylogism |
noun |
A syllogism preliminary or logically essential to another syllogism; the conclusion of such a syllogism, which becomes a premise of the following syllogism. |
protagonist |
noun |
One who takes the leading part in a drama; hence, one who takes lead in some great scene, enterprise, conflict, or the like. |
protandrous |
adjective |
Proterandrous. |
proteaceous |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Proteaceae, an order of apetalous evergreen shrubs, mostly natives of the Cape of Good Hope or of Australia. |
protectoral |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a protector; protectorial; as, protectoral power. |
protectress |
noun |
Alt. of Protectrix |
proteolysis |
noun |
The digestion or dissolving of proteid matter by proteolytic ferments. |
proteolytic |
adjective |
Converting proteid or albuminous matter into soluble and diffusible products, as peptones. |
proterandry |
noun |
The condition of being proterandrous. |
protestancy |
noun |
Protestantism. |
protestator |
noun |
One who makes protestation; a protester. |
prothallium |
noun |
Same as Prothallus. |
protonotary |
noun |
A chief notary or clerk., Formerly, a chief clerk in the Court of King’s Bench and in the Court of Common Pleas, now superseded by the master., A register or chief clerk of a court in certain States of the United States., Formerly, one who had the charge of writing the acts of the martyrs, and the circumstances of their death; now, one of twelve persons, constituting a college in the Roman Curia, whose office is to register pontifical acts and to make and preserve the official record of beatifications., The chief secretary of the patriarch of Constantinople., Same as Prothonotary. |
prothoracic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the prothorax. |
protocercal |
adjective |
Having a caudal fin extending around the end of the vertebral column, like that which is first formed in the embryo of fishes; diphycercal. |
protococcus |
noun |
A genus of minute unicellular algae including the red snow plant (Protococcus nivalis). |
protocolist |
noun |
One who draughts protocols. |
proto-doric |
adjective |
Pertaining to, or designating, architecture, in which the beginnings of the Doric style are supposed to be found. |
protogynous |
adjective |
Same as Proterogynous. |
protohippus |
noun |
A genus of fossil horses from the Lower Pliocene. They had three toes on each foot, the lateral ones being small. |
protomartyr |
noun |
The first martyr; the first who suffers, or is sacrificed, in any cause; — applied esp. to Stephen, the first Christian martyr. |
protomerite |
noun |
The second segment of one of the Gregarinae. |
protonemata |
plural |
of Protonema |
protoplasta |
noun pl. |
A division of fresh-water rhizopods including those that have a soft body and delicate branched pseudopodia. The genus Gromia is one of the best-known. |
protopodite |
noun |
The basal portion, or two proximal and more or less consolidated segments, of an appendage of a crustacean. |
protopterus |
noun |
See Komtok. |
protosomite |
noun |
One of the primitive segments, or metameres, of an animal. |
prototheria |
noun pl. |
Same as Monotremata. |
protoxidize |
verb t. |
To combine with oxygen, as any elementary substance, in such proportion as to form a protoxide. |
protracting |
present participle vb. noun |
of Protract |
protractile |
adjective |
Capable of being protracted, or protruded; protrusile. |
protraction |
noun |
A drawing out, or continuing; the act of delaying the termination of a thing; prolongation; continuance; delay; as, the protraction of a debate., The act or process of making a plot on paper., A plot on paper. |
protractive |
adjective |
Drawing out or lengthening in time; prolonging; continuing; delaying. |
protrudable |
adjective |
That may be protruded; protrusile. |
protuberant |
adjective |
Prominent, or excessively prominent; bulging beyond the surrounding or adjacent surface; swelling; as, a protuberant joint; a protuberant eye. |
protuberate |
verb i. |
To swell, or be prominent, beyond the adjacent surface; to bulge out. |
protuberous |
adjective |
Protuberant. |
providently |
adverb |
In a provident manner. |
provinciate |
verb t. |
To convert into a province or provinces. |
provisioned |
imp. & past participle |
of Provision |
provisional |
adjective |
Of the nature of a provision; serving as a provision for the time being; — used of partial or temporary arrangements; as, a provisional government; a provisional treaty. |
provisorily |
adverb |
In a provisory manner; conditionally; subject to a proviso; as, to admit a doctrine provisorily. |
provocation |
noun |
The act of provoking, or causing vexation or, anger., That which provokes, or excites anger; the cause of resentment; as, to give provocation., Incitement; stimulus; as, provocation to mirth., Such prior insult or injury as may be supposed, under the circumstances, to create hot blood, and to excuse an assault made in retort or redress., An appeal to a court. [A Latinism] |
provocative |
adjective |
Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting., Anything that is provocative; a stimulant; as, a provocative of appetite. |
provocatory |
adjective |
Provocative. |
provokement |
noun |
The act that which, provokes; one who excites anger or other passion, or incites to action; as, a provoker of sedition. |
provostship |
noun |
The office of a provost. |
proximately |
adverb |
In a proximate manner, position, or degree; immediately. |
pruniferous |
adjective |
Bearing plums. |
pruriginous |
adjective |
Tending to, or caused by, prurigo; affected by, or of the nature of, prurigo. |
psalmodical |
adjective |
Relating to psalmody. |
psalmograph |
noun |
A writer of psalms; a psalmographer. |
pseudembryo |
noun |
A false embryo., An asexual form from which the true embryo is produced by budding. |
pseudhaemal |
adjective |
Pertaining to the vascular system of annelids. |
pseudo-bulb |
noun |
An aerial corm, or thickened stem, as of some epiphytic orchidaceous plants. |
pseudocoele |
noun |
Same as Pseudocoelia. |
pseudo-cone |
noun |
One of the soft gelatinous cones found in the compound eyes of certain insects, taking the place of the crystalline cones of others. |
pseudograph |
noun |
A false writing; a spurious document; a forgery. |
pseudomorph |
noun |
An irregular or deceptive form., A pseudomorphous crystal, as a crystal consisting of quartz, but having the cubic form of fluor spar, the fluor crystal having been changed to quartz by a process of substitution. |
pseudopodia |
plural |
of Pseudopodium |
pseudopupae |
plural |
of Pseudopupa |
pseudopupas |
plural |
of Pseudopupa |
pseudoscope |
noun |
An instrument which exhibits objects with their proper relief reversed; — an effect opposite to that produced by the stereoscope. |
pseudospore |
noun |
A peculiar reproductive cell found in some fungi. |
pseudostoma |
noun |
A group of cells resembling a stoma, but without any true aperture among them. |
pseudotinea |
noun |
The bee moth, or wax moth (Galleria). |
psilomelane |
noun |
A hydrous oxide of manganese, occurring in smooth, botryoidal forms, and massive, and having an iron-black or steel-gray color. |
psilopaedes |
noun pl. |
birds whose young at first have down on the pterylae only; — called also Gymnopaedes. |
psilopaedic |
adjective |
Having down upon the pterylae only; — said of the young of certain birds. |
psilosopher |
noun |
A superficial or narrow pretender to philosophy; a sham philosopher. |
psittaceous |
adjective |
Alt. of Psittacid |
psychagogic |
adjective |
Attractive; persuasive. |
psychagogue |
noun |
A necromancer. |
psychiatria |
noun |
Alt. of Psychiatry |
psychiatric |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to psychiatria. |
psychologic |
adjective |
Alt. of Psychological |
psychologue |
noun |
A psychologist. |
psychomachy |
noun |
A conflict of the soul with the body. |
psychomancy |
noun |
Necromancy. |
psychometry |
noun |
The art of measuring the duration of mental processes, or of determining the time relations of mental phenomena. |
psychopathy |
noun |
Mental disease. See Psychosis, 2. |
ptenoglossa |
noun pl. |
A division of gastropod mollusks having the teeth of the radula arranged in long transverse rows, somewhat like the barbs of a feather. |
pterichthys |
noun |
A genus of Devonian fossil fishes with winglike appendages. The head and most of the body were covered with large bony plates. See Placodermi. |
pteridology |
noun |
That department of botany which treats of ferns. |
pterocletes |
noun pl. |
A division of birds including the sand grouse. They are in some respects intermediate between the pigeons and true grouse. Called also Pteroclomorphae. |
pterodactyl |
noun |
An extinct flying reptile; one of the Pterosauria. See Illustration in Appendix. |
pteropodous |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Pteropoda. |
pterosauria |
noun pl. |
An extinct order of flying reptiles of the Mesozoic age; the pterodactyls; — called also Pterodactyli, and Ornithosauria. |
pterostigma |
noun |
A thickened opaque spot on the wings of certain insects. |
ptilocerque |
noun |
The pentail. |
ptilopaedes |
noun pl. |
Same as Dasypaedes. |
ptilopaedic |
adjective |
Having nearly the whole surface of the skin covered with down; dasypaedic; — said of the young of certain birds. |
ptyalogogue |
noun |
A ptysmagogue. |
ptysmagogue |
noun |
A medicine that promotes the discharge of saliva. |
publication |
noun |
The act of publishing or making known; notification to the people at large, either by words, writing, or printing; proclamation; divulgation; promulgation; as, the publication of the law at Mount Sinai; the publication of the gospel; the publication of statutes or edicts., The act of offering a book, pamphlet, engraving, etc., to the public by sale or by gratuitous distribution., That which is published or made known; especially, any book, pamphlet, etc., offered for sale or to public notice; as, a daily or monthly publication., An act done in public. |
publishable |
adjective |
Capable of being published; suitable for publication. |
publishment |
noun |
The act or process of making publicly known; publication., A public notice of intended marriage, required by the laws of some States. |
puddle-ball |
noun |
The lump of pasty wrought iron as taken from the puddling furnace to be hammered or rolled. |
puerileness |
noun |
The quality of being puerile; puerility. |
puerilities |
plural |
of Puerility |
puff-legged |
adjective |
Having a conspicuous tuft of feathers on the legs. |
pulchritude |
noun |
That quality of appearance which pleases the eye; beauty; comeliness; grace; loveliness., Attractive moral excellence; moral beauty. |
pullman car |
|
A kind of sleeping car; also, a palace car; — often shortened to Pullman. |
pullulation |
noun |
A germinating, or budding. |
pulmonarian |
noun |
Any arachnid that breathes by lunglike organs, as the spiders and scorpions. Also used adjectively. |
pulmonifera |
noun pl. |
Same as Pulmonata. |
pulverizing |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Pulverize |
pulverulent |
adjective |
Consisting of, or reducible to, fine powder; covered with dust or powder; powdery; dusty. |
punchinello |
noun |
A punch; a buffoon; originally, in a puppet show, a character represented as fat, short, and humpbacked. |
puncticular |
adjective |
Comprised in, or like, a point; exact. |
punctilious |
adjective |
Attentive to punctilio; very nice or exact in the forms of behavior, etiquette, or mutual intercourse; precise; exact in the smallest particulars. |
punctualist |
noun |
One who is very exact in observing forms and ceremonies. |
punctuality |
noun |
The quality or state of being punctual; especially, adherence to the exact time of an engagement; exactness. |
punctuating |
present participle & vb. noun |
of Punctuate |
punctuation |
noun |
The act or art of punctuating or pointing a writing or discourse; the art or mode of dividing literary composition into sentences, and members of a sentence, by means of points, so as to elucidate the author’s meaning. |
punctuative |
adjective |
Of or belonging to points of division; relating to punctuation. |
punctulated |
adjective |
Marked with small spots. |
pupillarity |
noun |
The period before puberty, or from birth to fourteen in males, and twelve in females. |
purchasable |
adjective |
Capable of being bought, purchased, or obtained for a consideration; hence, venal; corrupt. |
purgatively |
adverb |
In a purgative manner. |
purgatorial |
adjective |
Alt. of Purgatorian |
purgatorian |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to purgatory; expiatory., One who holds to the doctrine of purgatory. |
purificator |
noun |
One who, or that which, purifies; a purifier. |
puritanical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Puritans, or to their doctrines and practice., Precise in observance of legal or religious requirements; strict; overscrupulous; rigid; — often used by way of reproach or contempt. |
puritanized |
imp. & past participle |
of Puritanize |
purpleheart |
noun |
A strong, durable, and elastic wood of a purplish color, obtained from several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus Copaifera (C. pubiflora, bracteata, and officinalis). Used for decorative veneering. See Copaiba. |
purportless |
adjective |
Without purport or meaning. |
purposeless |
adjective |
Having no purpose or result; objectless. |
purpresture |
noun |
Wrongful encroachment upon another’s property; esp., any encroachment upon, or inclosure of, that which should be common or public, as highways, rivers, harbors, forts, etc. |
purse-proud |
adjective |
Affected with purse pride; puffed up with the possession of riches. |
pursiveness |
noun |
Pursiness. |
purveiaunce |
noun |
Purveyance. |
pustulation |
noun |
The act of producing pustules; the state of being pustulated. |
putredinous |
adjective |
Proceeding from putrefaction, or partaking of the putrefactive process; having an offensive smell; stinking; rotten. |
putrescence |
noun |
The state of being putrescent; putrescent matter. |
putrescible |
adjective |
Capable of putrefaction; liable to become putrid; as, putrescible substances., A substance, usually nitrogenous, which is liable to undergo decomposition when in contact with air and moisture at ordinary temperatures. |
putrifacted |
adjective |
Putrefied. |
putty-faced |
adjective |
White-faced; — used contemptuously. |
pycnogonida |
noun pl. |
A class of marine arthropods in which the body is small and thin, and the eight legs usually very long; — called also Pantopoda. |
pyoxanthose |
noun |
A greenish yellow crystalline coloring matter found with pyocyanin in pus. |
pyramidally |
adverb |
Like a pyramid. |
pyramidical |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to a pyramid; having the form of a pyramid; pyramidal. |
pyrargyrite |
noun |
Ruby silver; dark red silver ore. It is a sulphide of antimony and silver, occurring in rhombohedral crystals or massive, and is of a dark red or black color with a metallic adamantine luster. |
pyritaceous |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to pyrites. See Pyritic. |
pyroarsenic |
adjective |
Pertaining to or designating, an acid of arsenic analogous to pyrophosphoric acid. |
pyrogallate |
noun |
A salt of pyrogallic acid; an ether of pyrogallol. |
pyrognostic |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to characters developed by the use of heat; pertaining to the characters of minerals when examined before the blowpipe; as, the pyrognostic characters of galena. |
pyrolignous |
adjective |
Same as Pyroligneous. |
pyrophanous |
adjective |
Rendered transparent by heat. |
pyrophorous |
adjective |
Light-producing; of or pertaining to pyrophorus. |
pyrosmalite |
noun |
A mineral, usually of a pale brown or of a gray or grayish green color, consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of iron and manganese; — so called from the odor given off before the blowpipe. |
pyrotechnic |
adjective |
Alt. of Pyrotechnical |
pyrothonide |
noun |
A kind of empyreumatic oil produced by the combustion of textures of hemp, linen, or cotton in a copper vessel, — formerly used as a remedial agent. |
pyrovanadic |
adjective |
Pertaining to, or designating, an acid of vanadium, analogous to pyrophosphoric acid. |
pyroxanthin |
noun |
A yellow crystalline hydrocardon extracted from crude wood spirit; — called also eblanin. |
pythagorean |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to Pythagoras (a Greek philosopher, born about 582 b. c.), or his philosophy., A follower of Pythagoras; one of the school of philosophers founded by Pythagoras. |
pythagorism |
noun |
The doctrines taught by Pythagoras. |
pythagorize |
verb i. |
To speculate after the manner of Pythagoras. |