Word origins

• po-facedWearing a particularly stern and disapproving expression; humourless; priggish.
• PoilievreA surname from French
• PoincaréA surname from French.
• point-blankVery close; not touching but not more than a few metres (yards).
• point d'appuiA given point or body upon which troops are formed, or by which they are marched in line or column.
• Pointe à la HacheA census-designated place and unincorporated community, the parish seat of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States.
• Pointe-à-PitreA commune and city in the overseas department of Guadeloupe, France.
• Pointe Coupee ParishOne of 64 parishes in Louisiana, United States, the equivalent of a county in other US states. Parish seat: New Roads.
• Pointe-NoireA city in the Republic of the Congo.
• pointilléA style of finishing consisting of dotted lines and curves on the covers of a book.
• pointillistof, pertaining to, or in the style of pointillism
• point of viewA position from which something is seen.
• PoissantA surname from French.
• poissardeA fishwife, especially in France; specifically, any of the Parisian fishwives or market-women who led riots during the French Revolution.
• poissonnierIn a large commercial kitchen, a cook tasked with preparing and cooking (and possibly selecting) fish and fish dishes.
• poitrelA piece of armor for a horse's chest; the breastplate of a horse's armour or harness.
• poitrinaireSomeone suffering from tuberculosis, or a similar lung disease.
• poivradeA type of sauce (generally a vinaigrette) with pepper as a main ingredient.
• polatoucheA Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans, syn. Sciuropterus volans), native to much of boreal Eurasia, from Finland east.
• policierA film telling the fictional story of a police investigation, particularly such a film based on a novel.
• polissoirA groove found carved into rock, once used to polish stone axes.
• polissonA dishonest or mischievous person; a scamp.
• politesseCivility, politeness, courtesy or gallantry; genteel politeness or an instance of this.
• polonesePolish.
• PolonizeTo make Polish as to custom, culture, language, or style; to adapt to the norms of the Republic of Poland.
• PolonophonePolish-speaking.
• polycameraticHaving multiple dials
• PolyniceA surname from French.
• polyonymyThe bearing of multiple names or titles by one person.
• PolyphemePolyphemus.
• polysynodyA form of government administered by several councils rather than individual ministers; specifically that of Regency France from 1715-1718.
• pommecythereSynonym of ambarella (fruit (Spondias dulcis))
• pommeeHaving the ends terminating in rounded protuberances or single balls; having round shapes on the extremities.
• pomme friteA traditional Belgian-style skin-on shoestring-cut piece of deep-fried potato; French fry, chip.
• pomme pureeA very smooth and creamy mashed potatoes dish/sidedish, usually requiring ricers/foodmills and chinois/strainers to make.
• pommes fritesFrench fries; plural of pomme frite
• pompierA pompier hook
• pompoirA sexual technique the woman uses her pubococcygeus (vagina) muscles to stimulate the man's penis while both partners remain still.
• ponceauAny of a number of red pigments, some of which are used as indicators.
• poncifAn unoriginal or uninspired idea; a cliché.
• Pondera CountyOne of 56 counties in Montana, United States. County seat: Conrad.
• pontlevisA drawbridge.
• Pont-Saint-MartinA town in Loire-Atlantique department, France.
• poplollyA man's mistress, or a single woman of loose morals; a sweetheart.
• poppyheadA raised ornament frequently having the form of a finial. It is generally used on the tops of the upright ends or elbows which terminate seats, etc., in Gothic churches.
• populicideThe deliberate slaughter of a people or a nation.
• populosityPopulousness.
• PorasA surname from French.
• portatifA portative organ.
• Port au ChoixA town in Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Port-au-PrinceThe capital city of Haiti.
• Port aux BasquesA village and port in Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• port de brasAn exercise in which the arms are moved to different positions, sometimes also incorporating upper-body movements.
• porte cochèreA gateway through which horse carriages pass, often into a courtyard.
• porte-crayonAn instrument (typically a metallic tube with a clasp) used to hold a pencil, lead etc. for drawing.
• porte-épéeA strap, buckle or other fastening by which a sword or scabbard is held attached to a person's belt, clothing etc.
• porte-monnaieA wallet.
• porte-paroleA spokesperson, one who speaks on another's behalf.
• portièreA car door.
• portolanA chart of European navigable waters based on descriptions of coasts.
• Port SaidA large city and governorate in north-eastern Egypt.
• poséHeld in position for a prolonged period.
• poses plastiquesA form of tableau vivant consisting of nearly nude women posing, once a form of salacious entertainment.
• postautisticOf or relating to a political movement that criticises neoclassical economics and advocates a pluralistic approach.
• post chaiseAn enclosed horse-drawn carriage with four wheels, used to transport mail and passengers.
• poste restanteA postal service in which a mail is held at a post office to be collected by the recipient
• postilA Bible commentary written in its margins.
• postposeTo place (a word or phrase) after another in a sentence, especially in order to modify it
• postulantA person seeking admission to a religious order.
• potagerieA vegetable garden where vegetables are grown for making soup.
• pot-au-feuA thick soup of meat and vegetables cooked together in a large pot.
• PotetA surname from French.
• pot-et-fleurA style of flower arrangement that combines pot plants with cut flowers.
• poticheA vase with a separate cover, the body usually rounded or polygonal in plan with nearly vertical sides, a neck of smaller size, and a rounded shoulder.
• potinAn alloy of copper, zinc, lead, and tin.
• poubelleA garbage can.
• poudre de rizA cosmetic face powder, originally made with powdered rice.
• poudretteA solid powdered agricultural manure prepared by composting human feces (night soil from outhouses and dry closets) by mixing it with various other ingredients (e.g., ground gypsum, lime, ashes) and then aging and drying the result.
• poudreuseA kind of dressing table with several compartments and a mirror.
• PouillonA surname.
• poulardA young spayed hen (that is fattened for eating).
• PoullardA surname from French.
• poulpeAn octopus.
• poupetonA puppet.
• pourboireA tip (extra money given to e.g. a waiter in appreciation of service), especially in French contexts.
• pour encourager les autresIn order to warn or intimidate others (especially by making an example of someone or something).
• pourparlerparley (diplomatic consultation)
• pourpointerieQuilting of the sort used in constructing pourpoints.
• pourpointingSynonym of pourpointerie.
• Pourquoi PasA mountainous island lying between Bigourdan Fjord and Bourgeois Fjord off the west coast of Graham Land, Antarctica.
• pousse-caféA digestif consumed after the coffee course.
• PoussonA surname from French.
• poutinerieA restaurant that specializes in making poutine.
• PouyanneA surname from French.
• powder-douceA sweet spice mixture used in medieval cookery.
• PrairialThe ninth month of the French Republican Calendar, from May 20 or 21 to June 18 or 19.
• Prairie du ChienA city, the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States.
• prairillonA little prairie.
• Prat-BonrepauxA village in Ariège department, France.
• precentorThe person who leads songs or prayers in a cathedral, church, monastery, or synagogue and generally facilitates worship.