 | Term | Definition |
| |
pious |
Religious. |
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pique |
To excite a slight degree of anger in. |
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piteous |
Compassionate. |
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pitiable |
Contemptible. |
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pitiful |
Wretched. |
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pitiless |
Hard-hearted. |
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pittance |
Any small portion or meager allowance. |
| |
placate |
To bring from a state of angry or hostile feeling to one of patience or friendliness. |
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placid |
Serene. |
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plagiarism |
The stealing of passages from the writings of another and publishing them as one's own. |
| |
planisphere |
A polar projection of the heavens on a chart. |
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plasticity |
The property of some substances through which the form of the mass can readily be changed. |
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platitude |
A written or spoken statement that is flat, dull, or commonplace. |
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plaudit |
An expression of applause. |
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plausible |
Seeming likely to be true, though open to doubt. |
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playful |
Frolicsome. |
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playwright |
A maker of plays for the stage. |
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plea |
An argument to obtain some desired action. |
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pleasant |
Agreeable. |
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pleasurable |
Affording gratification. |
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plebeian |
Common. |
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pledgee |
The person to whom anything is pledged. |
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pledgeor |
One who gives a pledge. |
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plenary |
Entire. |
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plenipotentiary |
A person fully empowered to transact any business. |
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plenitude |
Abundance. |
| |
plenteous |
Abundant. |
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plumb |
A weight suspended by a line to test the verticality of something. |
| |
plummet |
A piece of lead for making soundings, adjusting walls to the vertical. |
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pluperfect |
Expressing past time or action prior to some other past time or action. |
| |
plural |
Containing or consisting of more than one. |
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plurality |
A majority. |
| |
plutocracy |
A wealthy class in a political community who control the government by means of their money. |
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pneumatic |
Pertaining to or consisting of air or gas. |
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poesy |
Poetry. |
| |
poetaster |
An inferior poet. |
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poetic |
Pertaining to poetry. |
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poetics |
The rules and principles of poetry. |
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poignancy |
Severity or acuteness, especially of pain or grief. |
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poignant |
Severely painful or acute to the spirit. |
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poise |
Equilibrium. |
| |
polar |
Pertaining to the poles of a sphere, especially of the earth. |
| |
polemics |
The art of controversy or disputation. |
| |
pollen |
The fine dust-like grains or powder formed within the anther of a flowering plant. |
| |
pollute |
To contaminate. |
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polyarchy |
Government by several or many persons of what- ever class. |
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polycracy |
The rule of many. |
| |
polygamy |
the fact or condition of having more than one wife or husband at once. |
| |
polyglot |
Speaking several tongues. |
| |
polygon |
A figure having many angles. |
