Word origins

• peltastA type of light infantry unit in Ancient Greece who often served as skirmishers.
• pelycosaurAny of a group of basal or primitive Late Paleozoic synapsid amniotes, part of a polyphyletic grade, formerly regarded as order Pelycosauria.
• peniaphobiaThe fear of poverty or poor people; antipathy toward them; both.
• pentachoronA four-dimensional object analogous to a tetrahedron, constructed out of five tetrahedra.
• pentachotomyThe division of one into five separate but related parts.
• pentacronA solid with five summits (vertices), such as a square pyramid
• pentadelphousOf a flower or plant: having its stamens fused together at least partly by the filaments so that they form five separate groups, some of which may contain a single stamen.
• pentalphaA pentagram.
• pentapodyA measure, verse, or series consisting of five feet.
• pentapolisA geographic and/or institutional grouping of five cities
• pentaptychA five-part polyptych; a picture, or combination of pictures, consisting of a centrepiece and double folding doors or wings, as for an altarpiece.
• PentecostarionA liturgical book for the Paschal season, used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches that follow the Byzantine Rite.
• pentecostyA troop of fifty soldiers in the Spartan army.
• pentennialSynonym of quinquennial: occurring every five years.
• pentetericSynonym of quinquennial (“related to or characterized by an five-year period”)
• penteterisSynonym of quinquennium
• pentupleSynonym of quintuple in its various senses.
• peotomyThe removal of the penis.
• pepasticA suppurative.
• PerateA member of an ancient Christian Gnostic sect.
• pereionThe thorax of a crustacean, between the head (cephalon) and abdomen (pleon).
• peri-surrounding
• periaktoiA device for changing scenery in a theatre. A row of adjacent, three-sided columns form a backdrop to the stage and are turned in unison to show a different face.
• periaktosA revolving structure used to change scenes rapidly in a theatre: a tall prism-shaped frame or screen at the side entrances, each carrying a number of scenes changed by turning the frames.
• periastronThe point of an orbit in which a celestial body is at its closest to the star it is orbiting.
• periblemThe cortex of a root of a young plant.
• peribolosAn enclosed court, especially one surrounding a temple.
• perichoresisThe doctrine of the Trinity.
• pericynthionThe point in an elliptical orbit around the moon that passes closest to the moon.
• peridesmiumThe areolar tissue around a ligament.
• peridiumThe outer layer that covers the spore-bearing organ in many fungi.
• peridromeThe space between the columns and the wall of the cella in an Ancient Greek or Roman temple
• perigynousHaving the stamens, petals or sepals situated around the ovary (especially, on the rim of the receptacle of a superior ovary).
• perikronePeriapsis around the planet Saturn.
• perikymaAny of the pits around the long prisms of tooth enamel, indicating the places where enamel-producing cells used to make contact with neighbouring cells.
• perioikoiThe ancient inhabitants of Laconia who were free residents of the mountains and the beaches of Laconia.
• peripatusAny onychophoran of the genus Peripatus
• periphracticEnclosed; surrounded by some barrier.
• periphrasisThe use of a longer expression instead of a shorter one with a similar meaning, for example "I am going to" instead of "I will".
• peripterIn classical architecture, a building surrounded by a single row of columns.
• peripterosA type of Ancient Greek or Ancient Roman temple surrounded by a portico with columns.
• peripterousSurrounded by a single row of columns.
• peripteryThe region surrounding a moving body, such as the wing of a bird or a gliding aeroplane, within which cyclic or vortical motion of the air occurs.
• perisarcThe outer hardened integument that covers most hydrozoan coelenterates.
• periscianHaving the shadow moving all around.
• perissadhaving an odd valence (one not divisible by two without a remainder).
• peristalithA series of standing stones surrounding a barrow or burial mound.
• peristeriteA variety of albite, whitish and slightly iridescent.
• peristeronicOf or pertaining to pigeons.
• peristeropodSynonym of pigeon-toed.
• peristrephicTurning around; rotatory; revolving.
• peritropalInvolving turning oneself around: rotating or circuitous.
• perizoniumA thin membrane surrounding the auxospore of a diatom.
• peta-In the metric system, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10¹⁵ (a short scale quadrillion or long scale billiard). Symbol: P
• petalodyThe metamorphosis of various floral organs, usually stamens, into petals.
• peucedanoidRelating to one of two forms of Zygaena ephialtes.
• peucilA liquid resembling camphene, obtained by treating turpentine hydrochloride with lime.
• -pexyFixing (in place), fastening.
• pezographA regmaglypt.
• phaceloidOf a coral colony: having individual corallite tubes, joined at the base.
• phaco-lens
• phacoidResembling a lentil or lens; lenticular.
• PhaennaOne of the Charites worshipped in Sparta along with Cleta.
• phaggotFilter-avoidance spelling of faggot (“homosexual man”).
• -phagiaeating, biting or swallowing
• -phagicUsed to form adjectives from prefixes, to denote diet types
• phalacrosisBaldness.
• phalangerAn arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia.
• phalangiteA soldier belonging to a phalanx.
• phallocampsisA permanent curvature of the penis, especially that occurring during erection.
• phallocryptA chiefly ceremonial item of clothing that covers the penis; sometimes only such items that also cover the scrotum (as distinct from a penis sheath); usually form-fitting or otherwise shaped to resemble the penis.
• phaneAny of several substructures of a more complex molecule.
• phanero-visible
• phanerocodonicHaving an umbrella-shaped or bell-shaped body, with a wide, open cavity beneath; said of certain jellyfishes.
• phanerogamAny plant that produces seeds (rather than spores).
• phaneroglossalHaving a conspicuous tongue.
• phanerophyteAny woody plant that carries its dormant buds openly on branches above the ground.
• phanesThe primordial god of creation in the Orphic cosmogony.
• -phanousForms adjectives describing a material's appearance or the conditions under which this appearance changes.
• phantasmatographyA description of celestial phenomena.
• phantosmiaA form of parosmia involving olfactory hallucinations in which the perceived smell is triggered apparently without cause rather than by another smell.
• -phanyConcerning a manifestation or (first) appearance.
• pharmaco-medication
• pharmacognosispharmacognosy
• pharmacoliteA monoclinic-domatic mineral containing arsenic, calcium, hydrogen, and oxygen.
• pharmacosideriteA hydrated basic ferric arsenate, consisting of the elements arsenic, iron, hydrogen, potassium, sodium and oxygen.
• phascolomeA marsupial of the former genus Phascolomys; a wombat.
• -phasiaUsed to form the names of disorders and phenomena relating to words and speech.
• phasmidAny insect of the order Phasmida: a leaf insect or walking stick (stick insect).
• phellodermThe innermost parenchymatous tissue of the periderm of some plants
• phellogenThe tissue of young cells that produces the phellem.
• phenakismdeception; trickery.
• phengodidAny of the family Phengodidae of glowworm beetles.
• phengophobiaaversion to daylight
• pheno-Showing.
• phenogamPhanerogam; spermatophyte.
• pheo-Grey in colour.
• phialeAn Ancient Greek libation bowl.
• phil-fondness for; favor of; respect for.
• philalethiaThe love of truth.