English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

pizzle

noun

An animal's penis.

Pla

name

A Catalan surname.

placability

noun

How easily someone can be calmed down or persuaded to forgive.

placable

adj

Easily calmed down and ready to forgive.

placableness

noun

The quality of being easy to calm down or forgive.

placard

noun

A sign, often on card or board, displaying a message for public view.

placate

verb

To calm someone down and ease their anger.

placation

noun

An act of calming someone down, or a sign of this.

place

noun

A particular area, location, or spot.

placebo

noun

A harmless substance given as if it were medicine, with no real active ingredient.

placed

verb

Past tense and past participle of place: put something in a particular position, or arranged for someone to go somewhere.

placeholder

noun

Something put in a space for a short time until the real thing is ready.

placement

noun

The act of putting something in position, or the position it ends up in.

placename

noun

The name of a place, such as a town, region or landmark.

placenta

noun

An organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy, feeding the fetus and removing its waste through the umbilical cord.

placid

adj

Calm, peaceful, and not easily disturbed.

placidity

noun

A calm and peaceful state.

placing

noun

The act of putting something in a particular position or location.

placket

noun

An opening in a piece of clothing that gives access to a pocket or fastening.

plagiarism

noun

Taking someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as your own.

plagiarist

noun

Someone who copies another person's work or ideas and claims them as their own.

plagiarize

verb

To copy someone else's writing or ideas and present them as your own, especially in schoolwork.

plagiarized

adj

Copied from someone else's work and passed off as original.

plague

noun

A deadly, fast-spreading disease, especially historically the bubonic plague.

plagued

adj

Continually troubled or afflicted by something.

plaice

noun

A flatfish, especially the European species with smooth brown skin marked by red or orange spots, found in the North Sea and Irish Sea.

plaid

noun

A checkered or tartan pattern, or fabric woven in that pattern.

plaidoyer

noun

The act of pleading, or a plea.

plain

adj

Simple and without decoration or extra features.

plainclothes

adj

Wearing ordinary civilian clothing rather than a uniform, especially of police officers.

plainer

noun

A police officer who wears ordinary clothes instead of a uniform.

plainly

adv

Clearly and obviously.

plainness

noun

The state of being simple or ordinary, in any sense of the word.

Plains

noun

Large areas of flat, open land.

plaint

noun

An expression of unhappiness about something.

plaintiff

noun

The person who brings a case against someone else in a civil lawsuit.

plaintive

adj

Sounding sad, mournful, or full of longing.

plait

noun

A length of hair, straw, or similar material woven into interlocking strands; a braid.

plan

noun

A set of intended actions worked out in advance to achieve a goal.

planar

adj

Relating to a flat surface.

planate

adj

Flat or flattened, like a plane.

planche

noun

A gymnastic hold in which the body is kept flat and horizontal, supported only by the hands.

Planck

noun

Used to describe units, constants, or formulas named after the physicist Max Planck, especially in quantum theory.

plane

noun

An aircraft; an airplane.

planer

noun

A tool used to smooth a surface or make it flat and even.

planet

noun

A large, roughly spherical body that orbits a star, has cleared its orbital path of other debris, and is not itself a star.

planetarium

noun

A building or theatre with a domed ceiling used to project images of stars, planets, and other astronomical scenes for viewers below.

planetary

adj

Relating to planets or their orbits.

planetoid

noun

An asteroid, whatever its size.

plank

noun

A long, flat, thick piece of sawn timber.

planking

noun

A number of planks together.

plankter

noun

One individual creature that is part of plankton.

plankton

noun

Tiny, often microscopic organisms that drift passively in water rather than swimming against currents.

planned

adj

Arranged or organized ahead of time according to a deliberate plan, rather than happening by chance.

planner

noun

A person whose job or habit is to organize and schedule things in advance.

planning

noun

The process of thinking out in advance what needs to be done, in what order, and with what resources.

plant

noun

A living organism, typically rooted in soil, that makes its own food through photosynthesis — trees, flowers, grasses, and similar life forms.

Plantagenet

noun

A member of the royal family that ruled England from the 12th to the 15th century.

plantain

noun

A starchy, banana-like fruit that is usually cooked before eating, similar to a potato in culinary use.

plantation

noun

A large farm or estate, especially in a hot climate, growing a single cash crop and historically worked by enslaved or indentured labourers.

planter

noun

A container, often large and freestanding, used to hold plants.

planting

noun

The act of putting seeds or young plants into the ground.

plaque

noun

A flat piece of metal, stone, or similar material fixed to a wall or monument, usually bearing an inscription that commemorates a person or event.

plash

noun

A small pool or puddle of still water, or an area of boggy ground.

plashy

adj

Wet, watery, or waterlogged.

plasm

noun

A mould used to shape or cast something.

plasma

noun

A state of matter made of ionized gas, distinct from solid, liquid, or gas, found in stars, lightning, and neon signs.

plasmic

adj

Relating to plasma.

plaster

noun

A mixture of lime or gypsum, sand, and water that hardens into a smooth surface, used to coat walls and ceilings.

plasterboard

noun

A building material made as a stiff board of layers of fibreboard or paper stuck to a core of gypsum.

plastered

adj

Coated in plaster.

plasterwork

noun

Decorative or structural work made using plaster.

plastic

noun

A synthetic material made from polymers that can be molded into shape when soft and then set solid.

plasticity

noun

The quality or state of being plastic, able to be shaped or moulded.

plastics

noun

Plastic surgery, as a medical field or career.

plat

noun

An area of land; a plot.

Plata

name

A Spanish surname meaning "silver", also found in place names such as Rio de la Plata.

plate

noun

A flat, shallow dish used for serving or eating food.

plateau

noun

A large area of relatively flat, elevated land.

plated

adj

Coated with a thin layer of metal.

plateful

noun

The amount that a plate holds.

platelet

noun

A small, colourless, disc-shaped particle in mammalian blood that helps blood to clot.

plates

noun

A vehicle's license plates, or the number/registration itself.

platform

noun

A raised, flat surface for standing on, such as at a train station or on a stage.

platforming

noun

In video games, the action of leaping from one platform to another.

plating

noun

A thin protective or decorative coating of metal applied to another surface.

platinum

noun

A dense, precious, silvery-white metal element (symbol Pt) valued for its resistance to corrosion.

platitude

noun

A remark that sounds wise but has been repeated so often it no longer means much.

Plato

name

The name of the classical Greek philosopher, student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle.

Platonic

adj

Describing a close relationship or affection that is friendly rather than romantic or sexual.

platonic relationship

noun

A close, affectionate relationship between two people that involves no sex or romance.

platonics

noun

The academic study of Platonic crystals.

platonism

noun

An alternative letter-case form of Platonism.

platonist

noun

A follower of the philosophy that Plato founded.

platoon

noun

A military unit of roughly thirty to forty soldiers, usually commanded by a lieutenant, forming part of a larger company.

platt

noun

An open marketplace or market square.

platter

noun

A large, flat dish used for serving food, especially to a group.

platypus

noun

An egg-laying, semi-aquatic Australian mammal with a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and a beaver-like tail.

plaudit

noun

An expression of approval or praise.

plausibility

noun

The quality of deserving praise.

plausible

adj

Seeming reasonable or believable, even if not proven true.

plausibly

adv

In a way that seems reasonable or believable.

play

verb

To engage in an activity purely for fun or recreation.

playa

noun

A flat area of land that periodically floods and then dries out completely, leaving a hard, cracked surface.

playback

noun

The act of replaying something, especially recorded sound or video, that has already been recorded.

playbook

noun

A book of tactics and set plays used by a sports team, especially in American football.

playboy

noun

A wealthy, unattached man who spends his time pursuing pleasure and romantic conquests rather than responsibility or commitment.

playdate

noun

A pre-arranged visit where one child goes to another's home to play, usually set up by the parents.

playday

noun

A day set aside for fun and games.

player

noun

Someone taking part in a game or sport.

playfellow

noun

A friend, often a child, who plays together with another person.

playful

adj

Fond of play; lighthearted and full of fun, like a young animal or child.

playfully

adv

In a lighthearted, teasing, or fun-loving way.

playfulness

noun

The quality of being lighthearted and fun.

playground

noun

An outdoor area, often with swings and slides, set aside for children to play.

playhouse

noun

A theatre where plays are performed.

playing

noun

A single performance or showing of something, such as a song or film.

playlist

noun

A set of songs or videos lined up to be played in order, especially on a streaming app.

playmate

noun

A friend, especially a child's, who joins in play.

playoff

noun

An extra game played to settle a tie between competitors.

playpen

noun

A small portable enclosure that keeps a baby or toddler safely contained while playing.

playroom

noun

A room set aside in a home for children to play in.

PlayStation

noun

A brand of video game console made by Sony.

plaything

noun

An object, or sometimes a person, used purely for amusement.

playtime

noun

Time set aside for play or fun rather than work.

playwright

noun

A person who writes plays for the theatre.

plaza

noun

An open public square in a town or city.

plea

noun

An urgent, heartfelt request.

pleach

verb

To weave branches together, especially to form a hedge.

plead

verb

To argue a case formally, especially in court.

pleading

noun

The act of making an urgent request or a legal argument.

pleasant

adj

Pleasing or agreeable; nice to experience.

pleasantly

adv

In a way that is enjoyable or agreeable.

pleasantness

noun

The quality of being nice or enjoyable.

pleasantries

noun

Polite, light small talk exchanged before getting to a more serious matter.

pleasantry

noun

A polite comment made in passing conversation.

please

verb

To make someone happy or satisfied.

please advise

phrase

A formulaic closing used in business email or letters, asking the reader to reply with instructions, a decision or the information requested.

pleased

adj

Happy or satisfied about something.

pleasedness

noun

The feeling of being happy or satisfied.

pleasing

adj

Enjoyable or satisfying to experience.

pleasurable

adj

Giving pleasure or enjoyment.

pleasure

noun

A feeling of happiness, satisfaction, or enjoyment.

pleat

noun

A fold pressed or stitched into cloth to shape a garment or add fullness, made by doubling the fabric back on itself.

pleb

noun

An ordinary person from a low social class.

plebe

noun

An ordinary citizen of ancient Rome from the lower classes.

plebeian

noun

One of the ordinary citizens of ancient Rome.

plebiscite

noun

A vote in which every citizen can give their opinion on an important national matter, such as a change to the constitution.

plectrum

noun

A small piece of plastic, metal or similar material used for plucking the strings of an instrument such as a guitar.

pledge

verb

To make a solemn promise to do something.