| paean | A tribute, song, or expression of praise |
| palatial | Pertaining to a palace; magnificent |
| palimpest | An object or place having diverse layers or aspects underneath the surface |
| palpable | Capable of being touched or felt; tangible; easily perceived |
| paltry | Pitifully small or worthless |
| panache | A grand, showy manner or style |
| pandemic | Occuring over a vast geographic area and affecting a large number of people |
| panegyric | Elaborate praise |
| paradigm | An example used as a model |
| paragon | A model or profile of excellence or perfection |
| paramount | Supreme; of the utmost importance |
| pare | To trim off the excess, reduce |
| pariah | An outcast |
| patent | Obvious; evident; blatant |
| pathogenic | Causing disease |
| patrician | Superior; aristocratic |
| patronize | To have an air of condescension towards; to buy from |
| peculate | To use or take dishonestly |
| pecuniary | Relating to money |
| pellucid | Clear in meaning or style; simple to understand |
| penchant | An inclination toward; a liking; a favor of |
| penitent | Expressing remorse or sorrow for sins or offenses |
| penury | An oppresive lack of resources; extreme poverty |
| peregrinate | To travel on foot |
| phalanx | A close-knit body of people, animals, or things |
| philistine | A person who disregards intellectual and artistic values |
| philology | The study of ancient writings, texts, and languages |
| phlegmatic | Having a sluggish; unemotional personality |
| pique | To arouse anger or resentment in; to agitate or provoke |
| plaintive | Expressive of suffering or woe |
| platitude | An overused, worn remark |
| plebeian | Crude or coarse; characteristic of commoners |
| plucky | Courageous; sounky |
| politic | Shrewd or crafty in managing or coping with things |
| polyglot | A speaker of multiple languages |
| pore | To read studiously or attentively |
| portentious | Foreshadowing; ominous; causing amazement or wonder |
| posit | To assume as real or factual; to adapt as an explanation |
| potable | Suitable for drinking |
| potentate | A ruler or sovereign; one who possesses immense power |
| precarious | Lacking in secruty or stability; dependent on chance or certain circumstances |
| preciptous | Steep |
| presage | Something that foreshadows or predicts; a feeling of what might occur in the near future |
| prestidigitation | A cleverly executed trick or illusion; sleight of hand |
| preternatural | Existing outside of nature; supernatural |
| primeval | Ancient; primitive |
| prodigal | Wastefully extravagant |
| proffer | To offer for acceptance |
| progenitor | An ancestor in direct lineage; forefather, founder |
| proliferate | To grow by rapid production of new parts; increase in quantity |
| promulgate | To make known by open declaration |
| propensity | A natural inclination or preference |
| prosaic | Straightforward; lacking in creativity; dull; having the characteristic of prose (opposed to poetry) |
| proscribe | To forbid as illegal or harmful |
| provicial | Limited in outlook; narrow; unsophisticated |
| proxy | A person authorized to act for another person |
| pseudonym | A fictitious name (pen name), usually adopted by authors to conceal their identity |
| pugilism | Boxing |
| pussiant | Powerful |
| punctilious | Concerned about precise, accurate details about codes or conventions |
| pundit | One who gives opinions in a authoritative, high manner |
| purloin | To steal, rob |
| purport | To deliberately present a false apperance; to profess or claim |