Word origins

• PalixA surname from French.
• palliasseA thin mattress or under bed stuffed with straw.
• pallisandera dense, heavy wood, similar to teak or mahogany, mostly from species of Dalbergia and Pterocarpus, as well as Machaerium
• palmetteA motif in decorative art resembling the fan-shaped leaves of a palm tree.
• palmitic acidOne of the most common saturated fatty acids; it is found in all animal and most vegetable oils and fats; it is used in the manufacture of soap etc.
• paludismMalaria.
• pampelmoesSynonym of pomelo, as both a large fruit of Southeast Asia and as a catchall term for other related fruit such as the grapefruit.
• pamperdyA form of eggy bread or French toast, the egg mixture being poured onto the bread during cooking.
• PamphileA surname from French.
• pampreAn ornament, composed of vine leaves and bunches of grapes, used for decorating spiral columns.
• panacheriePanache; flamboyant style.
• PanchardA surname from French.
• pandoreA kind of oyster found near Prestonpans on the Firth of Forth.
• panéedBreaded; coated in breadcrumbs or breading.
• pan-panA radio call indicating a minor emergency requiring some assistance, or priority in handling, but not endangering the safety of the vessel or those aboard.
• pantoumA poem, similar to a villanelle, that comprises a series of quatrains, the second and fourth lines of each stanza repeated as the first and third lines of the next.
• papelonnéDivided into a pattern (counted as one of the heraldic furs) which resembles scales, such as are found on fish or on butterflies' wings, perhaps originally representing stylized feathers or diaper.
• papessA female pope, i.e. the fictitious Pope Joan.
• papeterieA case or box containing paper and writing materials.
• papier-mâchéA composite material created by pulping paper or layering paper strips with an adhesive such as glue, starch or paste, which dries to form a durable, lightweight and moldable substance.
• papilloteA small piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper, wrapped around food during cooking.
• papyrineSynonym of papery, of, similar to, or related to paper.
• paquebota mailboat
• para-beside, alongside
• paradosGenerally a screen or embankment to protect the rear of a position from enemy attack, from bomb splinters from behind, from enemy fire from a commanding height, or fire from flanking positions. In common English usage since World War II, the term "parados", particularly in trench warfare, has largely been discarded in favour of "rear parapet", which, etymologically speaking, is a contradiction in terms. In some contexts the term "rear traverse" is preferred, but no usage is exclusive.
• paragreleA lightning conductor erected, as in a vineyard, for drawing off the electricity in the atmosphere in order to prevent hailstorms.
• paralysantCausing paralysis.
• paratoniaA form of hypertonia with an involuntary variable resistance (i.e. reduced ability of a muscle to stretch) during passive movement.
• paratonicRelating to paratonia.
• paraventA windscreen.
• par avionBy air mail.
• parbuckleA kind of purchase for hoisting or lowering a cylindrical burden, as a cask. The middle of a long rope is fastened aloft, and both ends of the rope are looped under, then over the cylinder and looped back towards the attachment point. The object rests in the loops, and rolls upward in them as the rope ends are hauled up, or downward when the ends are payed out.
• parc ferméA secure car park where competing cars must be left, and where no maintenance, repairs, or enhancements may be performed, for example during rest periods.
• pardessusA pardessus de viole; a bowed stringed instrument with a fretted neck and five or six strings, the highest pitched member of the viol family.
• PardiacA surname from French.
• PardiesA surname from French.
• parelleA crustaceous lichen yielding orchil, cudbear, and litmus.
• par excellenceBecause or on account of one's excellence.
• parfait d'amourA purple liqueur, generally based on curaçao.
• parfilageThe unravelling of woven fabrics, to save gold or silver threads.
• parfum de toiletteSynonym of eau de parfum.
• PargadeA surname from French.
• pari-mutuelAny betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and a house take are removed, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all placed bets.
• Paris-BrestA dessert consisting of a ring (representing a bicycle wheel) of choux pastry filled with praline and topped with flaked almonds.
• Paris of the EastA major city that is considered as magnificent or culturally significant as Paris.
• parleyvooThe French language, especially as understood by an English person.
• Parliament HillA hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
• parloirA room set aside for visitors in a monastery or convent, where they can talk to residents.
• ParmeterA surname from French.
• parquetageparquetry
• ParrauA surname from French.
• ParrautA surname from French.
• parrelA sliding loop of rope or metal, around the mast of a ship, to which a yard or gaff is fitted.
• parseméSprinkled, scattered (usually with something).
• partie carréeA group of four people, especially consisting of two couples, or of two men and two women.
• parti prisA bias or preconceived opinion.
• parvenuA person who has risen, climbed up, or has been promoted to a higher social class, especially through acquisition of wealth, privileges, or political authority but has not gained social acceptance by those within that new class.
• Pas-de-CalaisA department of Hauts-de-France in northern France, bordering the Strait of Dover.
• pas de chatA sideways jump with both feet brought as high as possible, knees apart, while in the air.
• pas de deuxA dance performed by two dancers.
• pas de quatreA dance performed by four dancers.
• pas de troisA dance performed by three dancers.
• pas devant les enfantsNot in front of the children.
• pasilalya universal language
• passadeA pass or thrust.
• pass-diceThe game of passage.
• passéDated; out of style; old-fashioned.
• passéismAn excessive regard for the past.
• passéistA person having an excessive regard for the past.
• passementerieA decorative piece of lace or other cloth on clothes.
• passe-partoutThat by which one can pass anywhere; a safe-conduct.
• passepiedA courtly dance, in triple time, from 17th-century France; a faster form of the minuet.
• pas seulA solo dance.
• passguardAn L-shaped piece of armor worn over one arm (typically the left arm), which generally kept it in a bent position and protected it during jousts.
• pass-paroleAn order passed from the front to the rear by word of mouth.
• pasteuriseTo heat food for the purpose of killing harmful organisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, molds, and yeasts.
• pasteurizeTo heat food for the purpose of killing harmful organisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, molds, and yeasts.
• pasticheurOne who mimics the literary or artistic style of another.
• pastillageA kind of edible modelling paste used to make elaborate decorative confectionery for cakes etc.
• pastourelleA type of poetry concerning the romance of a shepherdess.
• pataphysicianA person involved in pataphysics.
• pataphysicsAn absurdist philosophy or pseudoscience studying things "beyond" metaphysics.
• pâtéA finely-ground paste of meat, fish or vegetables, sometimes with the addition of alcohol.
• pâte briséeA form of shortcrust pastry made with butter instead of lard or shortening.
• pâté chinoisA French-Canadian dish of layered ground beef, sweetcorn and mashed potatoes, similar to shepherd's pie.
• pâté de foie grasA pâté of fat goose liver; the lowest-grade preparation of foie gras.
• pâte fermentéeA pre-ferment made by preserving a portion of dough from an earlier batch.
• pate feuilleteeSynonym of puff pastry.
• pâte-sur-pâteA method of porcelain decoration in which a relief design is created on an unfired, unglazed body by applying successive layers of slip (liquid clay) with a brush, and then carving it to produce fine detail, before the piece is fired.
• patineA plate.
• patissierpastry chef
• pâtissièreA female pastry chef.
• PatriotePatriot (one of the devolution-of-power supporters in Lower Canada during the Canadian Rebellions of 1837-1838 (Patriots' War))
• patronneA woman who is the owner (or wife of an owner) of a business such as a bar or restaurant
• pattéNarrow at the inner end, and very broad at the other end, or having its arms of that shape
• paupietteA thin slice of meat or fish wrapped around a stuffing then fried, baked or braised
• pavesadeA canvas screen, formerly sometimes extended along the side of a vessel in battle, to conceal from the enemy the operations on board.
• paysagistAn artist who paints landscapes.
• Pays de la LoireAn administrative region of France, near Brittany.
• pays d'étatAny of several provinces of pre-Revolutionary France which retained their own local assemblies.