"P" Word Origins

pastoral

Latin

From Latin pastoralis, "of a shepherd," from pastor ("shepherd") — the same root as pastor.

pastrami

Romanian

From Yiddish pastrame, tracing back through Romanian pastramă to Turkish pastırma, "pressed meat" — the English "-i" ending likely came from the influence of "salami."

pastry

Latin

From Old French pastaierie, ultimately from Latin pasta ("paste, dough") — the same root as "paste" and "pasta."

pasturage

Origin

From Middle French pasturage (modern French pâturage). By surface analysis, pasture + -age.

pasture

Latin

From Latin pastura, related to pascere, "to feed" or "to graze."

pastureland

Origin

From pasture + land.

pasty

Origin

From "paste" plus the adjectival suffix "-y" — the noun sense (the pie) comes from the same "paste" root via the dough it's made of.

pat

Old English

From Middle English pat, "a blow or stroke," related to Old English plætt, "a sounding smack."

Patagonia

Portuguese

From Portuguese patagão and Spanish patagón (“Patagonian”) + -ia.

patch

Old English

From Middle English patche, of uncertain origin, possibly related to Old English words for "spot" or "stain."

patchboard

Origin

From patch + board.

patchouli

Origin

Borrowed from Tamil paccuḷi, the name of the plant.

patchwork

Origin

From "patch" plus "work" — literally, work made of patches.

patchy

Origin

From "patch" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-y."

pate

Latin

From Middle English pate, of uncertain origin, possibly linked to a Latin word for a shallow dish or pan.

Patel

Sanskrit

Borrowed from Gujarati paṭěl, "village headman," from Sanskrit paṭṭakila.

patella

Origin

From Latin patella (“a small pan or dish, a plate; the kneepan, patella”), diminutive of patina (“a broad shallow dish, pan”). Doublet of paella.

patency

Origin

From patent + -cy.

patent

Latin

From Middle English "letters patent," open documents granting a right or privilege, ultimately from Latin patens, "lying open."

patently

Origin

From "patent" (in the "obvious" sense) plus the adverb suffix "-ly."

pater

Latin

Borrowed directly from Latin pater, "father."

paterfamilias

Origin

(c. 1425 to 1475) From late Middle English paterfamilias, from Latin pater familiās. From Latin pater (“father”) + familiās, archaic genitive of familia (“family; household”). Literally, "father of the family" or "father of the household".

paternal

Latin

From Latin paternus, "of a father," from pater, "father."

paternity

Latin

From Latin paternitas, "fatherhood," from pater, "father."

Paterno

Italian

Borrowed from Italian Paternò.

Paterson

Origin

From a Middle English short form of Patrick + -son.

path

Old English

From Old English pæþ, "track, way," a very old Germanic word for a walking trail.

Pathan

Origin

Borrowed from Hindustani paṭhān — the same people are also known as Pashtun.

pathetic

Ancient Greek

From Ancient Greek pathetikos, "capable of feeling," from pathos, "suffering."

pathetisad

Origin

Blend of pathetic + sad.

pathfinder

Origin

From path + finder.

pathic

Origin

From Latin pathicus, from Ancient Greek παθικός (pathikós), from πάθος (páthos, “suffering, feeling”), from πάσχω (páskhō, “to feel, to suffer”).

pathline

Origin

From path + line.

pathogen

Greek

From Greek patho- ("disease") plus -gen ("producing") — literally, "disease-producer."

pathogenesis

Origin

From patho- + -genesis.

pathogenic

Origin

From patho- + -genic.

pathological

Origin

From "pathology" plus the adjective suffix "-ical."

pathologist

Origin

From "pathology" plus "-ist," someone who practises it.

pathology

French

From French pathologie, from Greek pathos ("disease") plus -logia ("study of").

pathophysiology

Greek

From Greek pathos 'suffering, disease' plus physiology, itself from physis 'nature' and -logia 'study of'.

pathos

Ancient Greek

From Ancient Greek pathos, "suffering" or "feeling."

pathway

Middle English

From Middle English pathwei, a combination of "path" and "way."

patience

Latin

From Latin patientia, "endurance," from patior, "to suffer or endure."

patient

Latin

From Latin patiens, present participle of patior, "to suffer or endure" — the same root as "patience."

patiently

Origin

Built from patient plus the adverb ending -ly.

Patil

Sanskrit

Borrowed from Marathi पाटील (pāṭīl, “village head”) or through Kannada ಪಾಟೀಲ (pāṭīla, “village head”), from Old Marathi 𑘢𑘘𑘺𑘩 (paṭaila), from Prakrit 𑀧𑀝𑁆𑀝𑀇𑀮𑁆𑀮 (paṭṭaïlla), from Sanskrit पट्टकिल (paṭṭakila). Doublet of Patel.

patina

Italian

From Italian patina meaning 'coating' or 'film', from Latin patina, a shallow dish or pan.

patio

Latin

From Spanish patio, ultimately traced back to Latin pactum, "agreement" — making it a distant relative of the word pact.