English dictionary — definitions & meanings

periscopically

adv

Using a periscope.

perish

verb

To die, especially suddenly or violently.

perishability

noun

The quality of being perishable.

perishable

adjective

Likely to go bad or rot quickly unless kept cool or used soon, said especially of food.

perishing

adj

Bitterly cold.

perissodactyl

noun

Any ungulate mammal with an odd number of toes and belonging to the Perissodactyla, an equid, a tapir, or a rhinoceros.

peristalsis

noun

The wave-like squeezing of muscles in the walls of a tube-shaped organ, especially the gut, that pushes its contents steadily along.

periwig

noun

A wig, especially any kind of stylised wig as formerly worn by men and women.

periwinkle

noun

A small trailing evergreen plant with blue, white, or purple flowers.

perjure

verb

To deliberately lie while under oath, especially in court.

perjurer

noun

someone who has committed perjury by lying under oath

perjury

noun

The crime of deliberately lying while under oath in a legal setting.

perk

noun

An extra benefit that comes with a job, beyond the salary.

perkiness

noun

The condition of being perky

Perkins

name

An English surname meaning "little Peter" or "son of Perkin".

Perks

noun

Plural of perk: extra benefits attached to a job or position.

perky

adj

Cheerful, lively, and full of energy.

perm

noun

A hairstyle created by chemically treating hair to make it curly.

permafrost

noun

Ground that stays frozen solid all year round, typically in polar or high-altitude regions.

permanence

noun

The quality of lasting forever or for an indefinitely long time.

permanency

noun

The state or quality of permanence.

permanent

adj

Lasting forever or for an indefinitely long time, without a planned end.

permanently

adv

In a way that lasts forever, or for good.

permanganate

noun

any salt of permanganic acid: they are purple crystalline solids, mostly soluble in water, and are strong oxidizing agents

permeable

adj

Able to be permeated; absorbing or allowing the passage of fluids.

permeate

verb

To pass through the pores or interstices of; to penetrate and pass through without causing rupture or displacement; applied especially to fluids which pass through substances of loose texture

Permian

adj

Relating to the final geological period of the Paleozoic era, roughly 299 to 252 million years ago.

permillage

noun

The amount, number or rate of something, regarded as part of a total of 1000.

permissibility

noun

The condition of being permissible; legitimacy; allowability.

permissible

adj

Allowed by rules, law, or custom.

permissibleness

noun

The state of being permissible; legitimacy; allowableness.

permission

noun

Formal or informal consent for something to happen.

permissive

adj

Giving permission, or predisposed to give it; lenient.

permit

verb

To allow something to happen or to give someone authorization to do it.

permitted

adj

Allowed by rule or authority.

permitting

noun

The process of applying for and obtaining official permits.

permutation

noun

One of the ways something exists, or the ways a set of objects can be ordered.

permyriad

adv

One out of every ten thousand (myriad); one percent of one percent.

Pernell

name

A given name and surname, a variant of Peter or Parnell.

pernicious

adj

Causing harm gradually or in a way that is not immediately obvious.

pernickety

adj

Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious.

Pernod

noun

A French anise-flavored aperitif, often mixed with water.

Pero

name

A given name, a medieval Spanish and Portuguese form of Pedro.

Peron

name

A Spanish surname, notably borne by Argentine president Juan Peron and his wife Eva Peron.

peroneal

adj

Pertaining to the fibula or to the part of the leg containing it, the outside (lateral aspect) of the lower leg (that is, what anatomical terminology calls the leg, from knee to foot).

perovskite

noun

A minor accessory mineral, CaTiO₃, occurring in basic rocks, as orthorhombic crystals.

peroxidase

noun

Any of a class of enzymes that act on substrates such as hydrogen peroxide and organic hydroperoxides such as lipid peroxides.

peroxide

noun

Hydrogen peroxide, especially the diluted form used as a disinfectant or hair bleach.

perp

noun

Informal short form of "perpetrator" — the person who committed a crime.

perpendicular

adjective

Meeting another line or surface at a right angle (90 degrees).

perpetrate

verb

To be guilty of, or responsible for a crime etc; to commit.

perpetration

noun

The act of perpetrating

perpetrator

noun

The person who actually carries out a crime or other wrongdoing.

perpetuable

adj

Capable of being perpetuated or continued.

perpetual

adjective

Lasting forever, or continuing for so long it feels endless.

perpetualism

noun

The belief that some state of affairs is, or should be, everlasting.

perpetualist

noun

A proponent of perpetualism.

perpetuality

noun

The quality of being perpetual.

perpetually

adverb

Constantly, without any sign of stopping.

perpetualness

noun

Quality of being perpetual.

perpetuana

noun

A durable wool serge fabric.

perpetuate

verb

To keep something going indefinitely, often something negative like a problem or stereotype.

perpetuation

noun

The act of prolonging existence, of keeping something alive or active.

perpetuity

noun

A state of lasting forever, or an indefinitely long duration.

perplex

verb

To cause to feel baffled; to puzzle.

perplexed

adjective

Confused and unable to understand something.

perplexing

adjective

Confusing; hard to make sense of.

perplexity

noun

The state or quality of being perplexed.

perquisite

noun

Any monetary or other incidental benefit beyond salary.

Perri

name

A given name and surname, a variant of Perry, sometimes used as a feminine form.

perrier

noun

A brand of naturally sparkling mineral water from France.

Perrin

name

An English and French surname, a diminutive form of Peter.

perry

noun

An alcoholic drink made from fermented pear juice, similar to cider.

persecute

verb

To treat someone cruelly or unfairly over a long period, often because of their race, religion, or beliefs.

persecution

noun

Cruel or unfair treatment over time, especially aimed at a particular group.

persecutor

noun

A person or thing that persecutes or harasses.

Persephone

name

In Greek mythology, the daughter of Demeter who became queen of the underworld after being abducted by Hades.

Perseus

name

A hero in Greek mythology who slew the Gorgon Medusa; also the name of a constellation.

perseverance

noun

Steady effort to keep doing something despite difficulty or setbacks.

perseverant

adj

Enduring; persistent, resistant.

perseverate

verb

To persist in doing something; to continue to repeat an action after the original stimulus has ended.

perseveration

noun

An uncontrollable repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by a brain injury or other organic disorder.

persevere

verb

To keep trying to achieve something despite obstacles or discouragement.

Pershing

name

An American surname, notably borne by General John J. Pershing, commander of U.S. forces in World War I.

Persia

proper noun

The historical name for Iran, and for the empires ruled from that region.

Persian

adjective

Relating to Persia (modern Iran), its people, or its culture.

persimmon

noun

A sweet orange fruit that is very astringent and unpleasant if eaten before it is fully ripe.

persist

verb

To continue doing something despite difficulty or opposition.

persistence

noun

The quality of continuing to try despite difficulty.

persistency

noun

The state or characteristic of being persistent.

persistent

adjective

Continuing firmly despite difficulty or opposition; refusing to give up.

persistently

adverb

In a way that continues steadily despite difficulty.

persnickety

adj

US standard form of pernickety.

person

noun

A human being, or any individual regarded as an entity with rights and identity.

persona

noun

The image or character someone presents to the world, which may differ from their true self.

persona non grata

noun

A person who is no longer welcome somewhere, especially a foreign diplomat formally declared unacceptable by a host government and required to leave.

personable

adjective

Having a warm, likeable manner that makes people feel comfortable.

personage

noun

A person of importance or fame.

personal

adjective

Relating to a specific individual rather than to others or to the public.

personalia

noun

All the personal belongings, writings and information of an individual.

personalise

verb

Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of personalize.

personality

noun

The particular mix of traits, attitudes, and behaviors that makes someone who they are.

personalize

verb

To adapt something to the needs or tastes of an individual.

personalized

adjective

Made or adjusted to suit one particular person's needs or tastes.

personally

adverb

Used to show that something is one's own private opinion or feeling.

personalty

noun

Any property that is movable; that is, not real estate.

personate

verb

To fraudulently portray another person; to impersonate.

personation

noun

The act of personating: the playing of a role or portrayal of a character

personification

noun

A person or thing that perfectly represents a particular quality.

personify

verb

To be an example of; to have all the attributes of.

personnel

noun

The people who work for an organization, such as a company or the military.

perspective

noun

A particular way of viewing or thinking about a situation.

perspectograph

noun

An instrument for obtaining, and transferring to a picture, the points and outlines of objects, so as to represent them in their proper geometrical relations as viewed from a single point.

perspectography

noun

The science, art, or study of drawing in perspective.

perspicacious

adj

Of acute discernment; having keen insight; mentally perceptive.

perspicacity

noun

Acute discernment or understanding; insight.

perspicuity

noun

Clarity, lucidity, especially in expression; the state or characteristic of being perspicuous.

perspicuous

adj

Clearly expressed, easy to understand; lucid.

perspicuously

adv

With clarity and lucidity.

perspiration

noun

Sweat, or the process of sweating.

perspire

verb

To emit (sweat or perspiration) through the skin's pores.

perspiring

adjective

Sweating; giving off perspiration.

persuade

verb

To get someone to agree to or do something by giving reasons or arguments.

persuader

noun

One who, or that which, persuades, literally or figuratively.

persuading

noun

The act of trying to convince someone.

persuasion

noun

The act of convincing someone to do or believe something, usually through argument.

persuasive

adjective

Able to convince people; making a strong, convincing case.

persuasively

adv

In a manner intended to convince or persuade.

pert

adjective

Cheeky or impudent in a lively, playful way, especially of a child or younger person.

pertain

verb

To relate to or be relevant to something.

pertaining

adjective

Relating to or connected with something.

Perth

name

The capital city of Western Australia; also a city in Scotland after which it was named.

pertinacious

adj

Holding tenaciously to an opinion or purpose.

pertinacity

noun

The state or characteristic of being pertinacious.

pertinence

noun

The quality of being pertinent.

pertinent

adjective

Directly relevant to the matter at hand.

pertness

noun

The quality of being pert; cheekiness, impudence.

perturb

verb

To cause (something) to be physically disordered or disturbed; to cause confusion.

perturbation

noun

Agitation; the state of being perturbed.

perturbed

adjective

Anxious, unsettled, or mildly upset.

Peru

name

A country in western South America, home to the ancient Inca civilization.

peruke

noun

A wig, especially one with long hair on the sides and back, worn mainly by men in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Perumal

name

A South Indian given name and surname, referring to a form of the Hindu god Vishnu.

perusal

noun

The act of reading or looking through something, especially in order to examine it.

peruse

verb

To read something carefully and thoroughly.

Peruvian

adjective

Relating to Peru or its people.

perv

noun

Slang for a pervert; someone with sexually inappropriate interests or behavior.

pervade

verb

To spread through every part of something, so that its presence is felt everywhere.

pervasive

adjective

Present or spreading throughout something; affecting every part of it.

pervasiveness

noun

The state or quality of being present in all parts of a particular thing or place.