Word origins

• perfuseTo permeate or suffuse something, especially with a liquid or with light.
• pergamentaceousReminiscent of parchment.
• perhorresceTo shudder (at).
• periclitateTo endanger.
• periclitationThe state of being in peril.
• pericraniumThe membrane (or periosteum) which covers the outer surface of the skull.
• periluneThe point of an elliptical lunar orbit where the distance between the satellite and the Moon is at its minimum.
• peripartumThat occurs around the time of labor and childbirth (parturition) (typically, within a few weeks before, intrapartum, or within a few weeks after).
• periphraseThe use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.
• peripneumonicpneumonic (of or pertaining to pneumonia (an inflammation of the lungs))
• perissologySuperfluity of words; verbosity; long-windedness.
• periteskilled
• perjuriousOf or pertaining to perjury.
• perlectionthe reading through of something.
• perlustrateTo travel through an area in examination or survey.
• permansionPermanence.
• permansivepermanent, stative, maintaining the same state
• permeanceA measure of the degree to which a material allows a fluid to permeate it.
• permiscibleCapable of being mixed.
• permonishTo warn, to admonish
• pernicityswiftness; celerity
• pernoctateTo stay up all night; to pass the night (especially in prayer).
• peronatesheathed with a covering
• perpetuum mobileA perpetual motion machine.
• perpotationexcessive drinking; boozing
• perquireExactly.
• perridiculousThoroughly ridiculous.
• perscopateto bristle or horripilate
• perscrutationA thorough searching; a minute inquiry or scrutiny.
• persona mutaA nonspeaking role, a silent actor.
• personateTo fraudulently portray another person; to impersonate.
• perspectographA specialized instrument used to render objects in perspective, available in a range of shapes and sizes.
• perspicablediscernible
• perspicienceThe act of looking sharply; keen vision.
• perspicilAn optical glass; a telescope.
• perspirativePerforming the act of perspiration or sweating; perspiratory.
• per stirpesA method of distributing an estate to the descendants or heirs of a deceased legatee in which the estate is divided equally among the branches of a family or designated heirs, without regard to differing numbers of people in different branches.
• perstringeTo censure; criticize.
• persuasoryPersuasive.
• persufflationThe technique of gently streaming oxygenated air through the blood vessels of a chilled organ for the purpose of organ preservation.
• pertinaciouslyIn a stubbornly resolute manner; tenaciously holding one's course of action or opinion.
• pertinacyThe quality or state of being pertinent; pertinence.
• pertinencyThe quality of being pertinent to the matter at hand; relevance.
• pertingentTouching; having direct contact with.
• pertransientPassing through; transient.
• perturbateTo perturb.
• pertusepierced or punched with holes
• pertusionThe act of punching or piercing with a pointed instrument.
• perulaOne of the scales of a leaf bud.
• pervasionThe act of pervading; permeation; suffusion.
• perventionA coming or arrival; advent
• perversiveTending to pervert.
• pervestigateTo investigate thoroughly.
• pervestigationthorough investigation
• pervicaciousExtremely stubborn or headstrong; wilful, obstinate.
• pervicacityobstinacy; pervicaciousness
• pervicacyPervicacity; stubbornness.
• pervulgateTo publish.
• pessimizeTo take a pessimistic view of; to speak of in a negative or pessimistic way.
• -petaltravelling towards
• petasiusA large broad-rimmed bell used for summoning monks.
• petauristAny flying marsupial of the order Phalangeriformes, such as those in genera Petaurista, Phalanger, Acrobates.
• petitio principiiThe logical fallacy of begging the question (i.e., "assuming the conclusion").
• petitorThe claimant or plaintiff in ancient legal systems.
• petitorypetitioning, soliciting, begging, petitionary
• petraryA weapon used to hurl stones
• petrescentPetrifying; converting into stone.
• petricolousRock-dwelling; living among or on rocks.
• petrifactAn object made of stone, especially one formed from petrifaction.
• petrificPetrifying, turning into stone; petrifactive.
• petro-stone
• phagedenaSpreading, obstinate ulceration.
• -phagousUsed to form adjectives meaning "eating" or "feeding on".
• -phalangiaDenoting a condition of the phalange bones in the fingers and toes.
• phaleraIn Ancient Greece, a metal medallion worn by men or used to ornament the harness of a horse.
• phantasmaticalphantasmal
• pharmacopoleSynonym of quack: a peddler of fraudulent medicines and cures.
• pharmacopolistSynonym of pharmacist: a person who sells medicine, an apothecary.
• Pharm.D.Doctor of Pharmacy
• pharologyThe study of lighthouses or other forms of light-signalling.
• phaselThe French bean, or kidney bean.
• phaseoliformShaped like a bean; like a bent ellipsoid.
• phasianidOf or relating to semiflightless, gallinaceous game birds, such as pheasants, quails, peafowl, junglefowl, and guinea fowl.
• phenetolSynonym of phenetole
• phengiteAny of a series of dioctahedral micas of composition K(AlMg)₂(OH)₂(SiAl)₄O₁₀, similar to muscovite but with addition of magnesium.
• PhilippopolisA city of Thrace, now Plovdiv; historical capital of the Roman province of Thracia.
• phillumenismSynonym of phillumeny.
• phillumenistA person who collects match-related items, like matchbox labels, matchboxes, matchbooks, or matchbook covers.
• phillumenyThe hobby of collecting matchbox labels and other match-related items
• philologerA philologist.
• philosophateTo philosophize.
• philosopher by fireSynonym of alchemist.
• philosopher of fireSynonym of alchemist.
• philosophia perennisA supposed essential core of philosophical beliefs epitomized in various writers from different temporal and geographic zones.
• PhlegethonA river of fire in Hades.
• phlegmonA solid mass formed by inflamed connective tissue, such as forms around an appendix in appendicitis.
• PhocianPertaining to the ancient Greek region of Phocis.
• phocinePertaining to true seals (also known as earless seals, as opposed to eared seals such as sea lions); seallike.
• photomancydivination using light
• phrenesisphrenitis