Advanced Vocabulary Starting with "P"

328 entries

• pacemaker A small electronic device implanted in the chest to regulate an abnormal hear...
• pacify To bring peace to a region or group, or to calm and soothe someone who is ang...
• pact A formal agreement between individuals, groups, or nations to do or refrain f...
• paediatric Relating to the branch of medicine that deals with children and their disease...
• painstaking Done with or employing great care, thoroughness, and attention to detail; req...
• palaeontology The scientific study of prehistoric life through the examination of fossils, ...
• palatable Acceptable or agreeable to the mind or sensibilities; in its literal sense, p...
• palliative Relating to treatment that relieves symptoms without addressing the underlyin...
• pallid Pale in colour, especially in a way that suggests illness or lack of vitality...
• palpable So intense as to be almost physically tangible; easily perceived or obvious. ...
• palpation The act of examining a part of the body by touch, especially as part of a med...
• pamphlet A small, unbound booklet containing information, arguments, or advocacy on a ...
• panacea A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
• panache Flamboyant confidence and stylish elegance in manner or performance.
• pandemic An epidemic of infectious disease that has spread across multiple countries o...
• pantheism The belief that God and the universe are identical, or that everything in exi...
• parabola A symmetrical open curve formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane pa...
• parabolic Having the form or properties of a parabola — a symmetrical open curve. In pr...
• paradigm A typical example, pattern, or model of something; a framework of concepts an...
• paradigm-shift A fundamental change in approach, underlying assumptions, or the way of think...
• paradigmatic Serving as a typical example or model of something; relating to or constituti...
• paradox A seemingly contradictory or absurd statement or situation that, upon investi...
• paramagnetic Describing a material that is weakly attracted to an external magnetic field ...
• parameter A measurable factor or variable that defines a system or sets the limits with...
• paramount More important than anything else; supreme in rank, importance, or significance.
• paranoia An irrational and persistent feeling that other people are plotting against y...
• paraphrase To express the meaning of something written or spoken using different words, ...
• parasitism A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits at the expens...
• pariah A person or entity that is despised, rejected, or shunned by others; a social...
• parity The state of being equal or equivalent, especially regarding status, pay, or ...
• parochial Having a narrow or limited outlook; confined to a small area or scope of inte...
• parody A humorous or satirical imitation of a work of art, writer, or genre, exagger...
• parole The conditional release of a prisoner before the end of their sentence, subje...
• parsimonious Extremely unwilling to spend money or use resources; excessively frugal or st...
• participle A verb form used to create compound tenses or as an adjective, typically endi...
• partisan Showing strong, often uncritical support for a particular party, cause, or pe...
• pasteurisation The process of heating food or drink, especially milk, to a specific temperat...
• pastiche A work of art, literature, or music that imitates the style of another artist...
• pastoral Relating to or portraying the life of shepherds or the countryside, or relati...
• pathogen An organism or agent that causes disease in its host, including bacteria, vir...
• pathogenesis The biological mechanism by which a disease develops and progresses. It descr...
• pathology The science of the causes and effects of diseases, especially as examined thr...
• patriarch The male head of a family or tribe; more broadly, a senior figure who holds a...
• patriarchy A social system in which men hold primary power, authority, and leadership po...
• patrician Belonging to or characteristic of the aristocracy or upper classes; displayin...
• patrimony Property or an estate inherited from one's father or ancestors; a cultural or...
• patron A person who provides financial or other support to an individual, organisati...
• patronise To treat someone with an apparent kindness that betrays a condescending sense...
• paucity An insufficiency or scarcity of something; the presence of something in only ...
• payable Required to be paid; due for payment. In accounting, 'accounts payable' refer...
• paywall A digital barrier on a website that restricts access to content unless the re...
• peasantry The class of small farmers and agricultural labourers, especially in feudal o...
• peatland A type of wetland ecosystem where waterlogged conditions prevent dead plant m...
• pecuniary Relating to or consisting of money, especially in formal, legal, or official ...
• pedagogy The method, theory, and practice of teaching, encompassing how knowledge is t...
• pedantic Excessively concerned with minor details or rules, especially in academic mat...
• peer-review The process by which academic work is evaluated by experts in the same field ...
• peevish Easily irritated by unimportant things; characterised by a fretful, complaini...
• pejorative Expressing disapproval or contempt; used to describe words, phrases, or expre...
• penal Relating to or prescribing the punishment of offenders under the legal system...
• penchant A strong or habitual liking for something; a tendency or inclination towards ...
• peninsula A piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water but is connected ...
• penitent Feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant. Also u...
• pensive Engaged in deep or serious thought, often with a tinge of sadness or wistfuln...
• penurious Extremely poor; or excessively unwilling to spend money. Can describe either ...
• percentile A value below which a given percentage of observations in a data set falls. F...
• perceptible Able to be perceived, noticed, or detected, especially when only just so; bar...
• perceptive Having or showing a keen ability to notice and understand things that are not...
• percolate To filter or seep gradually through a porous surface or substance. Figurative...
• percutaneous Performed through the skin, typically referring to medical procedures in whic...
• perennial Lasting for an indefinitely long time; enduring or continually recurring. In ...
• perfidious Deceitful and untrustworthy; deliberately faithless or treacherous, especiall...
• perfunctory Carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection; done as a matter of routi...
• perigee The point in an orbit nearest to earth; figuratively, the lowest or closest p...
• perimeter The total length of the boundary of a two-dimensional shape, or the outer edg...
• perinatal Relating to the period immediately before and after birth, typically defined ...
• periodically At regular or fairly regular intervals; recurring in a predictable cycle rath...
• perioperative Relating to the entire period surrounding a surgical procedure, encompassing ...
• peripheral Relating to or situated on the edge rather than the centre; of secondary or m...
• periscope An optical instrument consisting of a tube with mirrors or prisms at each end...
• perjury The criminal offence of deliberately giving false or misleading testimony whi...
• permaculture A system of agricultural and social design principles based on simulating nat...
• permafrost Ground that remains frozen for two or more consecutive years, typically found...
• permeability The quality or state of allowing liquids, gases, or magnetic fields to pass t...
• permeate To spread throughout something; to pass through or penetrate every part of.
• permissible Allowed or permitted by rules, laws, or standards; acceptable within the boun...
• permissive Allowing or characterised by great freedom of behaviour; tolerant, especially...
• permittivity A measure of how easily an electric field can form within a given material, i...
• permutation An arrangement of items in a specific order, or the act of changing the arran...
• pernicious Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way; highly destru...
• perpendicular At an angle of ninety degrees to a given line, plane, or surface, or standing...
• perpetrator A person who carries out a harmful, illegal, or criminal act, especially in f...
• perpetual Never ending or changing; occurring repeatedly so as to seem endless or unint...
• perpetually Occurring endlessly or indefinitely; in a manner suggesting something that ne...
• perpetuate To cause something to continue indefinitely; to preserve or maintain somethin...
• perquisite A special benefit or privilege enjoyed as a result of one's position or emplo...
• perseverance Persistence in doing something despite difficulty, opposition, or delay in ac...
• persistent Continuing firmly in a course of action despite difficulty or opposition; las...
• persona The public image or social role that a person presents to the world, as disti...
• personification The attribution of human characteristics to something non-human; a person reg...
• perspicacious Having a ready insight into and understanding of things; mentally sharp and p...
• perspicuous Expressed clearly and easy to understand; transparently lucid in style or pre...
• persuasive Good at persuading someone to do or believe something through reasoning or th...
• pertinacious Holding firmly to an opinion or course of action despite difficulty or opposi...
• pertinent Relevant or applicable to a particular matter; directly connected to what is ...
• perturb To make anxious or unsettled; to disturb the composure of. In science, to cau...
• pervade To spread throughout and be present in every part of something. Describes an ...
• pervasive Spreading widely throughout an area or group of people; present and noticeabl...
• pessimism A tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will h...
• pessimist A person who tends to expect unfavourable outcomes and focuses on the worst a...
• pesticide A chemical substance used to kill insects, weeds, fungi, or other organisms t...
• petabyte A unit of digital information storage equal to approximately one quadrillion ...
• petition A formal written request, typically signed by many people, appealing to an au...
• petitioner A person who presents a formal petition or application to a court, authority,...
• petrification The process by which organic material is turned to stone through the replacem...
• petulant Childishly sulky or bad-tempered, especially when not getting one's own way.
• pharmaceutical Relating to the preparation, dispensing, and use of medicinal drugs; as a nou...
• pharmacology The branch of science concerned with the study of drugs, including their comp...
• philanthropy The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed through generous donat...
• philistine A person who is hostile or indifferent to culture, the arts, and intellectual...
• philosophical Relating to the study of philosophy. In everyday usage, calm and stoical in t...
• phlebotomy The practice of drawing blood from a vein, either for diagnostic testing or a...
• phlegmatic Having a calm, unexcitable temperament; not easily disturbed, angered, or mov...
• phobia An extreme or irrational fear or aversion to something, often so severe that ...
• phonetics The scientific study of the sounds of human speech, including how they are pr...
• photolysis The decomposition or dissociation of a chemical compound by the action of lig...
• photon A particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation...
• photonic Relating to photonics — the science and technology of generating, controlling...
• photosynthesis The process by which green plants and certain other organisms convert light e...
• photovoltaic Relating to the conversion of light energy into electrical energy; describing...
• physiotherapy The treatment of injury, disease, or disability through physical methods such...
• phytoplankton Microscopic photosynthetic organisms that live in the upper, sunlit layers of...
• phytoremediation The use of plants to absorb, concentrate, or break down contaminants from pol...
• picometre A metric unit of length equal to one trillionth of a metre, used to express a...
• pidgin A simplified form of language that develops as a means of communication betwe...
• piezoelectric Relating to the generation of an electric charge in certain materials when me...
• pinnacle The most successful or highest point; the culmination of achievement.
• pioneering Involving new ideas or methods; being among the first to develop or apply som...
• piston A cylindrical component that moves up and down inside a cylinder in an engine...
• pithy Concise and forcefully expressive; terse and meaningful. Also, in botany, con...
• pivotal Of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something;...
• placate To make someone less angry or hostile by making concessions or soothing gestu...
• placebo A substance with no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new drug...
• plagiarism The practice of taking someone else's work, ideas, or words and presenting th...
• plaintiff A person who brings a civil case against another in a court of law. In Englan...
• plasma The fourth state of matter, consisting of ionised gas with roughly equal numb...
• plasticity The quality of being easily shaped or moulded; in neuroscience, the brain's a...
• plateau A large, flat area of elevated land; figuratively, a state of little or no ch...
• platitude A remark or statement that has been used so often as to be meaningless or unh...
• plausible Seeming reasonable or probable; appearing to be true or valid, though not nec...
• plea A formal statement by or on behalf of a defendant in criminal proceedings, in...
• plebeian Relating to or characteristic of the common people, as opposed to the aristoc...
• plebiscite A direct vote by the entire electorate of a country or region on an important...
• plentiful Existing in or yielding great quantities; available in more than adequate sup...
• plethora An excessive or overwhelming quantity of something. In formal and academic us...
• plummet To fall or drop steeply and rapidly; to decrease suddenly and dramatically in...
• pluralism A political and social philosophy that recognises and values the coexistence ...
• plutocrat A person whose power derives from their wealth, especially one who uses finan...
• plutocratic Relating to government or influence exercised by the wealthy, or a society in...
• pneumatic Operated by or involving compressed air or gas. Pneumatic tools and systems u...
• podcast A digital audio programme available for downloading or streaming, typically a...
• polarise To divide people, opinions, or groups sharply into two opposing camps, often ...
• polemical Relating to or involving strongly critical or controversial writing or speech...
• polemicist A person skilled in or given to making strong, controversial arguments, espec...
• pollination The transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part, ena...
• pollinator An animal, insect, or agent that transfers pollen from one flower to another,...
• polygon A closed two-dimensional shape with three or more straight sides and angles.
• polyhedron A three-dimensional solid shape with flat polygonal faces, straight edges, an...
• polymath A person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning across many different subjects.
• polymer A large molecule made up of many repeated smaller units (monomers) bonded tog...
• polynomial A mathematical expression consisting of variables, coefficients, and non-nega...
• ponder To weigh something carefully in one's mind; to think about a matter quietly a...
• pontificate To express one's opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way, as though one's views...
• populist Appealing to the interests or prejudices of ordinary people, especially by co...
• portfolio A range of investments held by a person or organisation; a collection of work...
• posit To assume or put forward as a basis for argument or reasoning; to suggest the...
• posthumous Occurring, awarded, or published after someone's death.
• postmodern Relating to a late 20th-century movement in art, architecture, and criticism ...
• postnatal Relating to the period after childbirth, concerning either the mother or the ...
• postoperative Relating to the period following a surgical operation, particularly with rega...
• postscript An additional remark added at the end of a letter, article, or book, after th...
• postulate To suggest or assume the existence or truth of something as a basis for reaso...
• pragmatic Dealing with things sensibly and realistically, based on practical rather tha...
• pragmatics The branch of linguistics that studies how context, social norms, and speaker...
• pragmatism A practical, results-oriented approach to problems and situations rather than...
• pragmatist A person who approaches problems and decisions in a practical, realistic way ...
• praiseworthy Deserving approval and admiration; worthy of praise.
• preamble A preliminary or introductory statement; an opening section that explains the...
• precarious Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse; dep...
• precedent A previous decision, case, or action that serves as a guide or justification ...
• precinct A designated area within a town or city, often pedestrianised or set aside fo...
• precipitate To cause something to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely; also, do...
• precipitous Extremely steep or sheer, or happening very suddenly and dramatically. Often ...
• precis A concise summary or abstract of a text, speech, or body of work, capturing o...
• preclude To prevent something from happening or make it impossible; to exclude or rule...
• precocious Showing abilities or maturity at an unusually early age, especially of a chil...
• precursor A person or thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner or...
• predation The act of an animal hunting, catching, and killing another animal for food.
• predicament A difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation from which it is hard to e...
• predicate The part of a sentence that contains the verb and states something about the ...
• predilection A particular liking or preference for something, often one that is habitual o...
• predisposition An inherited or acquired tendency to develop a particular condition, attitude...
• predominant Most common, influential, or prominent among a group of things; having greate...
• preeminent Surpassing all others in a particular quality or field; supreme or outstanding.
• preempt To take action in order to prevent something from happening or to gain an adv...
• prefabricate To manufacture sections of a building or structure in a factory for assembly ...
• prefrontal Relating to the foremost part of the frontal lobe of the brain, specifically ...
• prejudice A preconceived opinion or attitude towards a person or group that is not base...
• premeditated Thought out or planned in advance, especially of a crime or harmful act; deli...
• prenatal Relating to the period before birth; occurring or existing during pregnancy. ...
• preoperative Relating to the period before a surgical operation, especially with regard to...
• preposition A word governing a noun or pronoun to express a relation of place, time, dire...
• prerequisite Something that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen ...
• prerogative An exclusive right or privilege belonging to a particular person or group by ...
• prescient Having or showing knowledge of events before they take place; possessing fore...
• prescribe To lay down a rule, course of action, or treatment as authoritative; in medic...
• preservation The act of maintaining something in its original or existing state, protectin...
• presumptuous Overstepping the bounds of what is considered appropriate or respectful; taki...
• presuppose To assume or take for granted beforehand; to require as a precondition.
• preternatural Beyond what is normal or natural; extraordinary in a way that seems to exceed...
• prevalence The proportion of a population found to have a particular condition at a spec...
• prevalent Widespread in a particular area or at a particular time; commonly occurring o...
• prevaricate To speak or act evasively in order to avoid giving a direct answer or committ...
• prevarication The act of speaking or acting in an evasive way to avoid telling the whole tr...
• preventive Designed to stop something undesirable from happening; acting as a precaution...
• prima-facie Based on the first impression; accepted as correct until proved otherwise. Pr...
• primitive Relating to or characteristic of an early stage of development; basic, simple...
• primordial Existing at or from the very beginning of time; fundamental and basic in the ...
• prioritise To designate or treat something as more important than other things, determin...
• prism A solid geometric shape whose two ends are identical parallel polygons connec...
• pristine In its original condition; unspoilt, clean, and fresh as if new.
• privatise To transfer ownership or control of a state-owned enterprise, service, or ass...
• probabilistic Based on or involving probability and statistical likelihood rather than cert...
• probation A period during which a person convicted of a crime is supervised in the comm...
• probative Having the quality of proving or demonstrating something; in law, describing ...
• probity The quality of having strong moral principles; complete honesty and integrity...
• procedural Relating to or involving established procedures or official methods of doing ...
• proclaim To announce something officially or publicly, often with a sense of formality...
• proclamation A public or official announcement, especially one dealing with a matter of gr...
• proclivity A natural or habitual tendency or inclination towards a particular behaviour,...
• procrastinate To delay or postpone action, especially habitually and without good reason; t...
• procure To obtain something, especially with effort or through a formal process; wide...
• procurement The process of obtaining goods, services, or works from an external source, o...
• prodigal Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant. Al...
• prodigious Remarkably great in extent, size, or degree; impressively large or powerful, ...
• prodigy A young person with exceptional qualities or abilities, or an impressive or o...
• professionalise To give a professional quality or character to an activity, organisation, or ...
• proficiency A high degree of skill or competence in a particular area, indicating that so...
• proficient Competent or skilled in a particular activity or subject, having reached a hi...
• profitability The degree to which a business, investment, or activity generates profit rela...
• profligate Recklessly wasteful or extravagant, especially with money or resources. Can a...
• profound Very great or intense; showing great knowledge or insight; extending to or co...
• profuse Appearing or produced in great abundance; plentifully extravagant, often impl...
• prognosis A forecast of the likely course and outcome of a disease or illness; more bro...
• progression The process of developing or moving gradually towards a more advanced state; ...
• progressive In medical usage, describing a disease or condition that becomes increasingly...
• prohibit To formally forbid something by law, rule, or authority; to make an action or...
• prohibitive So high as to prevent or discourage something, especially a purchase or activ...
• projection In psychology, the unconscious attribution of one's own feelings, thoughts, o...
• proletarian Relating to or characteristic of the proletariat, the class of wage-earners w...
• proliferate To increase rapidly in number or amount; to spread or multiply at a fast rate.
• proliferation Rapid increase in the number or amount of something, often implying that the ...
• prolific Producing a great quantity of work, output, or offspring; remarkably producti...
• prologue An introductory section of a literary or dramatic work; an event or action th...
• prolong To extend the duration of something beyond its expected or natural length, of...
• prominent Important, well known, or conspicuous, especially in public life or a particu...
• promulgate To make widely known by formal proclamation or authoritative announcement, es...
• pronoun A word that takes the place of a noun or noun phrase, used to avoid repetitio...
• pronunciation The way in which a word or language is spoken, including the sounds, stress p...
• propaganda Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a p...
• propagandist A person who produces or spreads propaganda — biased or misleading informatio...
• propagate To spread, transmit, or promote an idea, belief, or piece of information wide...
• propagation The process by which something spreads, multiplies, or is transmitted from on...
• propensity A natural tendency or inclination to behave in a particular way, often one th...
• prophetic Accurately predicting what will happen in the future; relating to or characte...
• prophylactic Intended to prevent disease or infection. As a noun, it refers to a preventiv...
• prophylaxis Action taken to prevent disease, especially by specified means or against a s...
• propitiate To win or regain the favour of someone, especially a god or powerful figure, ...
• propitious Giving or indicating a good chance of success; favourably disposed or present...
• proponent A person who actively advocates or champions a particular idea, theory, or co...
• proportional Corresponding in size, degree, or intensity to something else; having a const...
• proportionate Corresponding in size, amount, or degree to something else; appropriately bal...
• proposition A statement or assertion that expresses a judgement or opinion, put forward f...
• propound To put forward a theory, argument, or point of view for consideration by others.
• proprietary Relating to ownership, especially of a product, technology, or process that i...
• propulsion The action of driving or pushing something forward. A propulsion system is th...
• prosaic Lacking poetic beauty or imaginative quality; dull, mundane, and unromantic. ...
• proscribe To formally forbid or condemn something as harmful or unacceptable, especiall...
• prosecution The institution and conduct of legal proceedings against someone in a crimina...
• prospective Expected or likely to happen in the future, or likely to become a particular ...
• prospectus A formal document giving details of a school, university, or business venture...
• prosperous Successful and wealthy, especially in financial or material terms; enjoying e...
• prosthetic An artificial device that replaces a missing body part, or relating to such a...
• protagonist The leading character in a story, play, or film; the main figure in a real ev...
• protean Readily and frequently changing form, character, or appearance; versatile and...
• proteolysis The hydrolysis of proteins into smaller polypeptides or amino acids by enzyme...
• proteomics The large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures, functions, ...
• protocol A set of rules or procedures governing the conduct of an activity, communicat...
• proton A stable subatomic particle found in the nucleus of all atoms, carrying a pos...
• prototype A first or preliminary version of a product, device, or design from which lat...
• prototypical Serving as the original or most typical example of something; embodying the e...
• protract To draw out or extend something in time, making it last longer than necessary...
• provenance The origin and history of ownership of a work of art, artefact, or other valu...
• proverbial Referred to in a proverb or commonly known saying; widely recognised or famou...
• providential Occurring at a particularly favourable time as if by divine intervention; tim...
• provincial Relating to or characteristic of the provinces rather than the capital; also ...
• provisional Arranged or existing for the present but likely to be changed or replaced; te...
• proviso A condition or qualification attached to an agreement, law, or statement, typ...
• provocateur A person who deliberately provokes controversy, unrest, or confrontation, esp...
• provocation An action or statement that is intended to make someone angry or to cause a s...
• provocative Causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, deliberately or otherwi...
• prowess Great skill or expertise in a particular area; outstanding ability or bravery...
• proxy A person authorised to act on behalf of another, or a substitute used to repr...
• prudent Acting with or showing care and thought for the future; wise in practical aff...
• prurient Having or showing an excessive or unwholesome interest in sexual matters. Oft...
• psychiatry The branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of...
• psychosis A severe mental state in which a person loses contact with reality, often exp...
• psychosomatic Relating to physical symptoms that are caused or aggravated by psychological ...
• psychotherapy The treatment of mental health conditions through psychological methods such ...
• puberty The period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable ...
• pugnacious Eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight. Describes a combative temperament...
• pulsar A highly magnetised, rapidly rotating neutron star that emits beams of electr...
• punctilious Showing great attention to detail, especially in matters of correct behaviour...
• pundit An expert or authority who frequently offers opinions and analysis on a parti...
• punitive Inflicting or intended as punishment; (of a cost or tax) extremely high and s...
• purport To claim or appear to be something, often with the implication that the claim...
• purported Alleged or claimed, especially when there is doubt about the truth of the claim.
• pyrolysis The thermal decomposition of materials at elevated temperatures in an inert a...