- 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
- 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
- pussiant: Powerful