English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

pendulum

noun

A weight hung from a fixed point that swings freely back and forth, often used to regulate a clock.

Penelope

noun

In Greek mythology, the loyal wife of Odysseus who waited years for his return.

penelopize

verb

To keep putting something off by undoing earlier work, possibly meaning to redo it later.

penetrable

adj

Able to be pierced, entered, or passed through.

penetrate

verb

To make a way into or through something; to pierce or pass into the interior of something.

penetrating

adj

Able to pierce through something, or (of a look, remark, or mind) sharply perceptive.

penetration

noun

The act of entering into or passing through something.

peng

adj

British slang for very attractive, or (of food) excellent.

penguin

noun

A flightless black-and-white seabird of the Southern Hemisphere that swims well and walks upright on short legs.

penicillin

noun

An antibiotic medicine derived from Penicillium mold, used to treat bacterial infections.

peninsula

noun

A stretch of land that juts out into the sea or a lake, connected to the mainland on one side.

penis

noun

The external male sex organ, used for both urination and sexual intercourse.

penishead

noun

Another term for a mean or rude person, i.e. a dickhead.

penitence

noun

Deep regret or remorse for having done something wrong.

penitent

adj

Feeling genuine sorrow or guilt for having done wrong.

penitential

adj

Relating to penance or to feeling sorry for wrongdoing.

penitentiary

noun

A state or federal prison, especially one for people convicted of serious crimes.

penknife

noun

A small folding knife that fits easily in a pocket.

penman

noun

A person who copies out documents by hand.

penmanship

noun

A person's style or skill in handwriting.

Penn

name

An English surname, notably borne by William Penn, founder of the Pennsylvania colony.

pennant

noun

A narrow, tapering flag, often triangular, used for signaling, decoration, or to mark a special occasion.

penned

verb

Wrote or composed something, especially using a pen; past tense of "pen".

penner

noun

A person who writes something, especially as an author.

penniless

adj

Having no money at all; extremely poor.

penning

noun

The activity of writing, especially creative writing.

Pennington

name

An English surname and place name, meaning "settlement by a hill" or "enclosure with a fold".

pennon

noun

A narrow flag, often pointed or split at the end, once flown from a knight's lance or helmet, and later from a lancer regiment's weapon.

Pennsylvania

name

A state in the northeastern United States, named for its founder William Penn, with "sylvania" meaning "woodland".

penny

noun

A small coin worth one cent, or one-hundredth of a pound or dollar.

pennyroyal

noun

A mint-family plant once widely used as a medicine and to keep fleas away.

Penrose

name

A Cornish surname and place name meaning "top of the headland"; notably borne by mathematician Roger Penrose.

Pensacola

name

A city on the Gulf Coast of Florida, the county seat of Escambia County.

pension

noun

A regular payment made to someone after they retire, based on their years of work.

pensionary

noun

Someone who receives a pension.

pensioner

noun

Someone who receives a pension, especially an older, retired person.

pensive

adj

Deep in thought, often in a quiet or serious way.

pensiveness

noun

A quiet, thoughtful mood, often tinged with sadness.

penstock

noun

A pipe or gate that controls water flowing out from behind a dam, usually towards a turbine in a power station.

pensylvania

name

An old-fashioned spelling of Pennsylvania.

pent

adj

Shut up or confined, as if enclosed in a small pen; held back and unable to be expressed freely.

pentacle

noun

A star-shaped charm, usually made of parchment or metal and marked with a magic sign, used in spell-casting.

pentad

noun

A set of five things.

pentadecagon

noun

A shape with fifteen straight sides and fifteen angles.

pentagon

noun

A five-sided, five-angled shape.

pentagram

noun

A five-pointed star drawn with five straight, crossing lines.

pentaplex

adj

Made up of, or working through, five separate parts.

pentathlon

noun

An ancient athletics discipline, featuring five events: stadion, wrestling, long jump, javelin and discus

pentation

noun

A maths operation formed by repeating tetration over and over.

Pentecostal

adjective

Belonging to a branch of Protestant Christianity that emphasises direct personal experience of the Holy Spirit, expressed through gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy and faith healing.

penthouse

noun

A luxury apartment on the top floor of a building, usually with wide views.

pentothal

noun

A trademark name for thiopental, a fast-acting barbiturate once widely used as an anesthetic and infamously nicknamed a "truth serum".

penultimate

adj

Describes the item that comes just before the last one in a series.

penumbra

noun

A partially shaded area around the edge of a full shadow, such as the one seen during an eclipse.

penurious

adj

Very unwilling to spend money; stingy.

penury

noun

A state of severe poverty, or a particular period spent in it.

penwomanship

noun

How skilfully a woman writes by hand.

peon

noun

A person with little power or status, especially one doing low-level, menial work.

peonage

noun

The condition of a peon, in which someone works off a debt through forced labour, or more loosely any similar form of forced service.

peony

noun

A garden plant with large, fragrant, often pink or red flowers.

people

noun

Human beings in general, or the men, women and children of a particular group, place or nation.

peopleless

adj

Empty of people; uninhabited.

Peoria

name

A city in Illinois, the county seat of Peoria County, on the Illinois River.

pep

noun

Energy, enthusiasm, and liveliness.

Pepe

noun

An image or meme based on the cartoon character Pepe the Frog.

pepita

noun

A pumpkin seed, typically roasted and shelled, eaten as a snack or used in cooking.

pepito

noun

A sandwich, popular across Latin America and originating in Spain, typically filled with beef, pork, or chicken.

pepper

noun

A spice made from the dried berries of the pepper plant, used to add heat and flavor to food.

peppercorn

noun

The seeds of the pepper plant Piper nigrum, commonly used as a spice, usually ground or crushed.

peppered

adj

Seasoned or sprinkled with pepper.

pepperiness

noun

How peppery something is.

peppermint

noun

A strong-flavored mint plant, or the sharp, cooling flavoring made from it.

pepperoni

noun

A spicy, cured sausage of Italian-American origin, made from pork and beef.

peppery

adj

Tasting or smelling strongly of pepper, especially in a hot, spicy way.

peppiness

noun

Liveliness and energy; being peppy.

peppy

adj

Full of energy and enthusiasm; lively.

Pepsi

name

A brand of cola soft drink made by PepsiCo.

peptide

noun

A compound made of amino acids linked together, formed when the amine group of one acid bonds with the carboxylic acid group of the next.

per

prep

For each; used to express a rate or ratio between two quantities.

per capita

adjective

Calculated for each person, by dividing a total figure by the number of people in a population.

per diem

noun

A fixed daily allowance paid to cover meals, accommodation and incidental costs while travelling for work.

per se

adverb

In itself, considered on its own without anything else attached to it.

Pera

name

A historic district of Istanbul, Turkey, also known as Beyoglu.

peradventure

adv

(old-fashioned) Perhaps or possibly.

Peralta

name

A Spanish surname, derived from a place name meaning "high rock".

perambulation

noun

A walk around an area, especially one taken to look it over.

perambulator

noun

(old-fashioned) A pram; a wheeled carriage for pushing a baby along in.

Perce

name

A family name that came from a first name.

perceive

verb

To become aware of something through the senses, such as sight, sound, or touch.

perceived

adj

Recognized or understood in a particular way by people in general, whether or not it is actually true.

perceiving

noun

The process of noticing or becoming aware of something through the senses.

Percell

name

A family name.

percent

noun

One part in every hundred; used to express a proportion of a whole.

percentage

noun

A proportion or rate expressed as a number out of one hundred.

percentile

noun

A value on a scale of one hundred that shows the percentage of a data set falling below it.

percept

noun

Something that is perceived; what is taken in through the senses.

perceptible

adj

Able to be noticed or sensed.

perception

noun

The way the mind organizes and makes sense of information taken in through the senses.

perceptive

adj

Quick to notice or understand things; showing sharp insight.

perceptivity

noun

The ability to notice or understand things quickly.

perch

noun

A spiny-finned freshwater fish, or any of several similar fish species.

perchance

adv

Perhaps; possibly (an old-fashioned or literary word).

perched

adj

Positioned somewhere high up, especially in a way that looks balanced or precarious.

percipient

adj

Quick to notice or understand things.

Percival

name

A male forename originating from the Celtic languages.

Percocet

noun

A brand-name prescription painkiller that combines oxycodone with paracetamol (acetaminophen), used to treat moderate to severe pain.

percolate

verb

To let a liquid slowly pass through something full of tiny holes, so as to filter it.

percolation

noun

The gradual movement of a liquid through a material full of tiny holes.

percussion

noun

Musical instruments played by striking, shaking, or scraping, such as drums and cymbals.

percussionist

noun

A musician with formal training who performs on percussion instruments, distinct from a drummer without such training.

percussive

adj

Relating to or resembling the sharp, rhythmic sound of striking or pounding.

Percy

name

A male given name, either transferred from the English surname or a shortened form of Percival.

perdita

noun

(dated) A woman who works as a prostitute.

perdition

noun

In religious belief, eternal punishment or damnation after death.

perdurable

adj

Lasting for a very long time.

perdure

verb

To go on existing for a long time.

Pere

name

A given name and surname, from the French and Catalan word for "father"; also a form of the name Peter in Catalan.

peregrinator

noun

A person who travels or wanders from place to place.

peregrine

noun

The peregrine falcon, a fast-flying bird of prey known for its steep hunting dives.

Pereira

name

A Portuguese surname meaning "pear tree".

peremptory

adj

Allowing no argument or discussion; not open to question.

perennate

verb

If a plant perennates, it lives on from one growing season into the next.

perennation

noun

The capacity of a living thing to carry on living from one growing period into the next, even in harsh conditions such as drought or cold.

perennial

adj

Lasting for a very long time or recurring continually.

perennially

adv

Happening every single year.

perennity

noun

The fact of lasting or continuing without end.

perestroika

noun

The programme of political and economic reform carried out in the Soviet Union during the 1980s and early 1990s under Mikhail Gorbachev, along with the period in which it took place.

Perez

name

A Spanish surname meaning "son of Pero", a medieval form of Pedro.

perfect

adj

Without any flaws or mistakes; as good as something can possibly be.

perfecta

noun

A type of bet in which you must name the winner and the runner-up, in the exact order they finish.

perfecting

noun

The process of making something as good as it can possibly be.

perfection

noun

The state of being completely free from flaws; the highest possible standard.

perfectionism

noun

The habit of wanting everything to be flawless and refusing to accept anything less.

perfectionist

noun

A person who refuses to accept anything less than the highest standard, often to an excessive degree.

perfectly

adv

In a flawless or ideal way.

perfecto

noun

A large cigar that tapers at both ends.

perfidious

adj

Betraying the trust or loyalty that someone rightly expected from you.

perfidiousness

noun

The quality of being disloyal and deceitful towards someone who trusted you.

perfidy

noun

An act of breaking a promise or betraying someone's trust.

perforate

verb

IPA⁽ᵏᵉʸ⁾: /ˈpɜː.fə.ɹeɪt/

perforated

adj

Having a hole or series of small holes punched through it.

perform

verb

To carry out an action or task.

performance

noun

A live show, such as music, theatre, or dance, presented to an audience.

performant

adj

Connected with how well something performs.

performer

noun

A person who performs for an audience, such as an actor, musician, or dancer.

performing

noun

The act of putting on a show or carrying out an action in front of others.

perfume

noun

A liquid with a pleasant scent, worn on the skin or clothing.

perfumed

adj

Having a pleasant, added scent.

perfunctory

adj

Done just to satisfy a basic requirement, without real care or effort.

perfusion

noun

The flow of blood through the vessels of an organ or tissue, delivering oxygen and nutrients to it.