| propaedeutic | adj. | introductory, preparative | ||
| propinquity | n. | nearness, proximity | ||
| proprioceptive | adj. | of or related to the sensing of body parts and their relative position one from the other | ||
| proscenium | n. | that part of the stage in front of the curtain; in ancient theatre, the stage itself | ||
| prosector | n. | dissector of dead bodies, as for anatomical research or autopsy | ||
| prosody | n. | the study of poetic meter and versification | ||
| prosopagnosia | n. | inability to recognize faces, esp. of familiar people | ||
| prosopopeia | n. | personification | rhetoric | |
| prosthaphaeresis | n. | use of trigonometric formulae to compute products of large multiplicands as well as other functions | ||
| protanopia | n. | daltonism, color-blindness between red and green | ||
| protopathic | adj. | of or related to sensation without determining location | ||
| protreptic | adj. | intended to convince or instruct | ||
| provant | n. | allowance of food | ||
| proximad | adv. | toward the center or point of attachment | ||
| pruriginous | adj. | causing or pertaining to prurigo; hence, by extension, causing itchiness | ||
| pruritus | n. | itching, esp. with no visible cause | ||
| pseudocide | n. | faked death | ||
| pseudologue | n. | habitual or pathological liar | ||
| pseudopod | n. | temporary protoplasmic protrusion of cells or unicellular organisms | ||
| psychomanteum | n. | darkened room with angled mirror reflecting darkness, intended for communion with the dead | ||
| psychopomp | n. | spirit or person who guides souls to the land of the dead | ||
| pteruge | n. | protective strip of leather or stiffened linen, used as skirt or flexible addition to armor in ancient Greek or Roman armies | ||
| ptisan | n. | barley-water; medicinal decoction | ||
| ptochogony | n. | the creation or production of beggars | ||
| puce | n. | dark brownish purple | ||
| puce | adj. | dark or brownish purple | ||
| puckerbrush | n. | scrubland | ||
| puckfist | n. | braggart | archaic | |
| pudendum | n. | (usu. pudenda (pl.)) external genitalia, esp. the vulva | ||
| puerperium | n. | month-long period after childbirth | biology | |
| pug | n. | animal footprint | ||
| puggle | v. | to poke (as a hole or pipe) with a stick or wire in order to remove obstacles | ||
| puggree | n. | Indian turban, pagri; muslin cloth wrapped around sun hat with trailing edge behind | ||
| pukka | adj. | proper, genuine | ||
| pulmotor | n. | trademarked cycling resuscitator developed in 1907 | ||
| pulvil | n. | perfumed powder for wigs or the body | ||
| puncheon | n. | pointed tool; graving tool; short framing timber, post supporting mine tunnel | ||
| pung | n. | one-horse sleigh | ||
| pungle | v. | to hand over, to pay | ||
| punkin | n. | pumpkin | ||
| punnet | n. | small basket for selling strawberries or other fruit | ||
| punter | n. | person, esp. a customer; prostitute’s client; bettor | slang | |
| purblind | adj. | almost entirely blind | ||
| purdah | n. | curtain screening women from sight of men or strangers; system of secluding women from same; state of seclusion | ||
| purfling | n. | a decorated border, such as an inlaid border around the back of a violin | ||
| purl | v. | to flow with whirling motion; to flow and burble | ||
| purler | n. | spectacular fall; [obsolete] resounding blow sending one to the ground | ||
| purlieu | n. | outskirts; neighborhood, environs; bounds, haunt, beat | ||
| purport | v. | to claim or profess | ||
| purse-seine | n. | fishing net (usu. deployed by two boats) in shape of an enormous bag closed at the bottom by a line (the purse-line) |
