P Vocabulary Flashcards
Paean
Song of joy or triumph
Palaeontology
Study of past geological eras through fossil remains
Pallid
Lacking colour or liveliness
Panegyric
Elaborate praise, formal hymn
Paragon
Model of excellence or perfection
Partisan
One sided
Pathological
Away from normal condition
Patois
Regional dialect
Paucity
Scarcity
Pedantic
Showing off learning
Pellucid
Transparent, easily understood
Penchant
Inclination
Penury
Extreme poverty
Peregrination
Wandering from place to place
Peremptory
Imperative, leaving no choice
Perennial
Persistent, present through the years
Perfidious
Faithless, disloyal
Perfunctory
Superficial
Perigee
Point in orbit closest to earth
Permeable
Penetrable
Perturb
To disturb greatly, make uneasy, cause body to deviate from regular orbit
Pervasive
Spread throughout every party
Petulant
Rude, peevish
Phlegmatic
Calm in temperament, sluggish
Phoenix
Mythical immortal bird
Physiognomy
Facial features
Piety
Devoutness
Piquant
Attractive, appealing stimulating
Pique
Fleeting feeling of hurt pride
Placate
To lessen another’s anger, pacify
Placid
Calm
Plaintive
Mournful
Plumb
To determine depth, examine deeply
Plummet
To fall, plunge
Plutocracy
Society ruled by the wealthy
Porous
Full of holes, permeable to liquids
Poseur
Person who affects attitude/identity to impress others
Pragmatic
Practical
Plasticity
Condition being able to be shaped/formed
Platitude
Stale, overused expression
Platonic
Spiritual, without sensual desire
Plethora
Excess, over abundance
Prate
To talk idly, chatter
Prattle
Meaningless foolish talk
Preamble
Preliminary statement
Preempt
To supersede, appropriate for one’s self
Prehensile
Capable of grasping
Precarious
Uncertain
Precept
Principle, law
Precipitate
To cause to happen, throw down from height
Precipitate
Rash, hasty, sudden
Precursor
Forerunner
Premonition
Forewarning
Presage
To foretell, indicate in advance
Presumptuous
Rude, improperly hold
Preternatural
Beyond normal course of nature
Prevaricate
To quibble, evade the truth
Primordial
Original, existing from the beginning
Pristine
Untouched, uncorrupted
Probity
Honesty, high-mindedness
Problematic
Posing a problem
Prodigal
Wasteful, extravagant
Profound
Deep, not superficial
Prohibitive
Preventing, forbidding
Proliferate
To increase rapidly
Propensity
Inclination, tendency
Propitiate
To win over, appease
Propriety
Correct conduct, fitness
Proscribe
To condemn, outlaw, forbid
Provident
Frugal, providing for future needs
Puissant
Powerful
Punctilious
Careful in observing rules of behaviour/ceremony
Pungent
Strong or sharp smell/taste, penetrating, to the point
Purport
To profess, claim
Pusillanimous
Cowardly