English dictionary — definitions & meanings

perverse

adjective

Deliberately behaving in a way that is unreasonable, contrary, or against what is expected or sensible.

perversion

noun

The action of perverting someone or something; humiliation; debasement.

pervert

noun

A person whose sexual behavior or interests are considered abnormal or unacceptable.

perverted

adjective

Twisted away from what is normal, correct, or moral.

pervious

adj

Often followed by to: capable of being penetrated by another body or substance, such as air or water; admitting passage.

pervy

adjective

Behaving or seeming like a pervert; creepy in a sexual way.

pes

noun

the foot of a human

pesky

adjective

Annoying or troublesome, especially in a persistent, low-level way.

peso

noun

The unit of currency used in several Latin American countries and the Philippines.

pessary

noun

A medical device similar to the outer ring of a contraceptive diaphragm, most commonly used to support a displaced uterus; also called therapeutic pessary.

pessimal

adj

Bad to a maximal extent; worst.

pessimism

noun

A general tendency to expect the worst outcome or to focus on the negative.

pessimist

noun

Someone who habitually expects the worst or focuses on the negative side of things.

pessimistic

adjective

Expecting the worst; having a negative outlook.

pest

noun

An insect or animal that damages crops, spreads disease, or is otherwise harmful.

pester

verb

To bother someone repeatedly or persistently.

pestering

noun

Repeated bothering or nagging.

pesticide

noun

A chemical or biological substance used to kill or control pests such as insects and weeds.

pestilence

noun

A deadly, widespread disease; a plague.

pestilent

adj

Highly injurious or destructive to life: deadly.

pestle

noun

A club-shaped, round-headed stick used in a mortar to pound, crush, rub or grind things.

pesto

noun

An Italian sauce made from crushed basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheese.

pet

noun

An animal kept at home for companionship rather than work or food.

pet peeve

noun

A small, specific thing that annoys you far more than it annoys most people.

petal

noun

One of the often colorful, leaf-like parts that make up a flower's bloom.

Pete

name

An informal short form of the given name Peter.

petechial

adjective

Relating to or marked by petechiae — tiny, flat, red or purple spots caused by minor bleeding under the skin.

Peter

verb

To gradually decrease and come to nothing, especially followed by "out."

peterman

noun

Old slang for a safecracker — someone who breaks open safes to steal from them.

Peters

name

An English surname meaning "son of Peter".

Petersen

name

A Danish and Norwegian surname meaning "son of Peter".

Peterson

name

An English, Scottish, and German surname meaning "son of Peter".

Petey

name

A diminutive form of the given name Pete.

petit

adj

Small or minor in scale or importance (often used in legal or formal phrases).

petite

adj

Describing a woman who is small, slim, and neatly built.

petiteness

noun

The quality of being petite.

petition

noun

A formal written request, often signed by many people, asking an authority to act on something.

petitioner

noun

A person who submits a petition, especially to a court.

petitioning

noun

The act of making a formal request or appeal to an authority.

petra

noun

An old unit of weight, roughly equal to 14 pounds, once used for measuring wool and similar goods.

Petri

name

A German and Scandinavian surname, a Latinized form of Peter.

petrichor

noun

The distinctive earthy smell in the air when rain falls on dry ground.

Petrie

name

A Scottish surname derived from a diminutive of Peter or Patrick.

petrified

adj

Turned into stone, or hardened like stone, usually over a very long time.

petrify

verb

To turn to stone: to harden organic matter by permeating with water and depositing dissolved minerals.

petrifying

adj

Causing immense fear; extremely scary

Petro

noun

In Haitian Vodou, a category of spirits (loa) generally seen as fierce, forceful, or combative in character.

petrograd

name

Former name of Saint Petersburg, from 1914 (when Russia entered World War I) to 1924 (when Lenin died), a major city in Russia.

petrol

noun

A refined liquid fuel made from petroleum, used to power most cars and small engines (called "gasoline" or "gas" in American English).

petroleum

noun

A naturally occurring liquid found underground, made mostly of hydrocarbons, that is refined into fuels like petrol and diesel.

Petronius

name

A Roman family name, borne notably by the author Petronius Arbiter.

Petros

name

A Greek masculine given name, cognate with the English name Peter.

Petrov

name

A common Russian and Bulgarian surname meaning "son of Peter".

Petrovic

name

A common South Slavic surname meaning "son of Petar (Peter)".

petsitter

noun

One who acts as babysitter for a pet in the owner's absence.

Petter

noun

Someone who pets or strokes an animal affectionately.

petticoat

noun

A light underskirt worn beneath a dress or skirt to add fullness, warmth, or shape.

pettifog

verb

To quibble over trivial matters; nitpick.

pettifogger

noun

Someone who quibbles over trivia, and raises petty, annoying objections and sophistry.

pettifoggery

noun

The actions of a pettifogger; a trivial quarrel.

Pettigrew

name

An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "small growth" or "crane's foot".

petting

noun

The act of gently stroking or patting an animal.

pettishness

noun

The state of being pettish; peevishness, irritability.

pettle

verb

To fondle or pet; to pamper.

petty

adj

Minor or unimportant, especially compared to more serious matters.

petulance

noun

Rudeness, insolence.

petulant

adj

Irritable and sulky in a childish way, often over something minor.

petunia

noun

A garden plant with wide, trumpet-shaped flowers in many colours, popular in hanging baskets and borders.

Peugeot

noun

A car made by the French automobile manufacturer Peugeot.

pew

noun

A long wooden bench for seating people in a church, usually fixed in rows facing the altar.

pewee

noun

Any of various tyrant flycatchers of the genus Contopus.

peyote

noun

A small spineless cactus native to Mexico and the southwestern US, whose buttons are chewed for their hallucinogenic effect (mescaline).

Peyton

name

A unisex given name and surname, a variant of Payton.

Pez

noun

A brand of small, rectangular candy tablets dispensed one at a time from a spring-loaded plastic dispenser, often topped with a cartoon character head.

PFA

abbreviation

Please find attached: a phrase used in emails to point to a file sent with the message.

pfaugh

intj

An expression of disgust, contempt, disdain, or dismissal.

Pfeiffer

name

A German surname originally denoting an occupational name for a piper.

pff

intj

A short exhaled sound expressing annoyance, disbelief, or dismissal.

pfft

intj

Used to represent something suddenly ending, vanishing, or falling apart.

pfp

noun

Alternative letter-case form of pfp.

PFT

abbreviation

Pulmonary function test, a set of breathing tests that measure how much air the lungs can hold and how quickly it can be moved in and out.

pfui

intj

an exclamation indicating disagreement or rejection of an argument; contempt

PG

abbreviation

Parental guidance: a film or game rating meaning the content is broadly suitable for general viewing but some scenes may unsettle younger children, so a parent should decide.

pH

noun

A scale from 0 to 14 measuring how acidic or alkaline a solution is, with 7 being neutral.

phalangeal

adj

Relating to a phalanx.

phalanger

noun

An arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia.

phalangite

noun

A soldier belonging to a phalanx.

phalanx

noun

A tight military formation of soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder with shields and spears, used in ancient Greece.

phallic

adj

Shaped like, or relating to, an erect penis.

phallus

noun

A penis, especially an erect one, or an image or object representing one.

Phan

noun

An enthusiastic fan of the rock band Phish, especially one who follows their tours and jam-heavy live shows.

phantasm

noun

Something seen but having no physical reality; a phantom or apparition.

phantasmal

adj

Of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantasm (“something seen but having no physical reality”); imaginary, unreal.

phantasmic

adj

Like a phantasm; ghostly, unreal.

phantasy

noun

Archaic spelling of fantasy.

phantom

noun

A ghost or ghostly figure; something that appears real but has no physical substance.

pharaoh

noun

A ruler of ancient Egypt.

Pharaohs

name

The plural of Pharaoh, the title given to the rulers of ancient Egypt.

pharaonic

adj

Of or pertaining to a pharaoh.

pharisaical

adj

Of or pertaining to the Pharisees.

pharma

noun

The pharmaceutical industry — the business of developing, making, and selling drugs.

pharmaceutical

adjective

Relating to the preparation, sale, or study of medicinal drugs.

pharmaceutics

noun

The art and science of dispensing medical drugs.

pharmacian

noun

Synonym of pharmacist: a person who sells medicines.

pharmacist

noun

A trained professional who prepares and dispenses medicines and advises patients on how to use them safely.

pharmacopole

noun

Synonym of quack: a peddler of fraudulent medicines and cures.

pharmacopolist

noun

Synonym of pharmacist: a person who sells medicine, an apothecary.

pharmacy

noun

A shop or department where prescription medicines are prepared and sold.

Pharrell

name

A masculine given name, borne notably by American musician and producer Pharrell Williams.

pharynx

noun

The part of the alimentary canal and respiratory tract that extends from the back of the mouth and nasal cavity to the larynx and esophagus.

phase

noun

A distinct stage in a process or sequence of change.

phased

adjective

Carried out gradually in a series of planned stages rather than all at once.

phaser

noun

A fictional energy-beam weapon, especially the one used in the Star Trek science-fiction series.

phat

adjective

(slang) Excellent, impressive, or very good.

PhD

noun

The highest standard university degree, awarded for original research written up as a thesis and defended before examiners.

pheasant

noun

A long-tailed game bird often hunted for sport and food.

phebe

name

Archaic spelling of Phoebe.

Phelan

name

An Irish surname meaning "descendant of the wolf".

Phelps

name

An English surname meaning "son of Philip".

phenomena

noun

The plural of "phenomenon" — observable facts, events, or occurrences.

phenomenal

adjective

Extremely impressive or remarkable.

phenomenon

noun

An observable event, fact, or occurrence, especially one that is studied or explained scientifically.

phenotype

noun

The set of observable characteristics an organism actually has — height, eye colour, blood group, behaviour — produced by its genes interacting with its environment.

pheromone

noun

A chemical released by an animal that triggers a behavioral or physiological response in others of the same species.

phew

interjection

Used to express relief after tension or effort.

phewee

intj

Synonym of phew (“expressing relief, amazement, or disgust and rapid exhalation at a smell.”).

phi

noun

The 21st letter of the Greek alphabet (Φ, φ), often used as a symbol in science and mathematics.

phial

noun

A bottle or other vessel for containing a liquid; originally any such vessel, especially one for holding a beverage; now (specifically), a small, narrow glass bottle with a cap used to hold liquid chemicals, medicines, etc.

Phil

name

A short form of the masculine given name Philip.

Philadelphia

name

A major U.S. city in Pennsylvania, once the nation's capital and home to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

philanderer

noun

A man who has casual or secret romantic and sexual relationships with multiple women, especially while in a committed relationship.

philandering

noun

The behavior of having casual or secret love affairs, especially while already in a relationship.

philandry

noun

A love of, or fondness for, men.

philanthropic

adjective

Generous toward good causes; devoted to helping humanity, especially through charitable giving.

philanthropist

noun

A person who donates significant money, time, or effort to causes intended to improve the lives of others.

philanthropy

noun

The practice of donating money, time, or resources to promote the welfare of others.

philharmonic

adjective

Devoted to or appreciative of music, especially orchestral music (used mainly in orchestra names).

philia

noun

a psychological disorder characterized by an irrational favorable disposition towards something

Philip

name

A common male given name, of Ancient Greek origin meaning "fond of horses."

Philippa

name

A feminine given name, the female form of Philip.

philippic

noun

Any of the discourses of Demosthenes against Philip II of Macedon, defending the liberty of Athens.

Philippine

adjective

Relating to the Philippines or its people and culture.

Philippines

name

A Southeast Asian island nation made up of thousands of islands, with Manila as its capital.

philipps

name

A surname transferred from the given name.

Philips

name

An English surname meaning "son of Philip".

philistine

noun

A person seen as indifferent or hostile to art, literature, and culture, and who has conventional or unrefined tastes.

philistinism

noun

A materialistic attitude accompanied by ignorance of artistic or cultural matters.

Phill

name

A variant spelling of the given name Phil.

phillida

name

A female given name from Ancient Greek.

Phillip

name

A variant spelling of the given name Philip.