Etymology — The origins of English words

phonation

Origin

From Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “voice, sound”), equivalent to phonate + -ion.

pleuston

Origin

From Ancient Greek πλεῦσις (pleûsis, “sailing”), from πλέω (pléō) + -on. The -t- is on analogy with the coordinate terms.

personify

Origin

From person + -ify, after French personnifier.

pitisome

Origin

From pity + -some.

pettishness

Origin

From pettish + -ness.

pigmeat

Origin

From pig + meat.

pepperiness

Origin

From peppery + -ness.

plunderer

Origin

From plunder + -er.

peculator

Origin

From Latin pecūlātor (“embezzler”), from Latin pecūlor (“to embezzle”), from Latin pecūlium (“private property”).

parapherna

Origin

From Late Latin parapherna, from Ancient Greek παράφερνα (parápherna, “things additional to a dowry”), from παρα- (para-, “beside”) + φερνή (phernḗ, “dowry”). In the propertied classes, a dowry was placed under the control of the husband, while the 'paraphernalia' which she brought with her remained the wife’s property.

pamps

Origin

Either a clipping of pampers (“a diaper, nappy”), or from pamp (“a diaper, nappy”) + -s (“hypocoristic suffix”).

pervious

Origin

Borrowed from Latin pervius (“having a passage through; passable, penetrable, traversable”) + English -ous (suffix denoting the presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance)). Pervius is derived from per- (prefix denoting doing something all the way through or entirely) + via (“road, street; method, way; (figurative) course, route”) + -us (suffix forming adjectives)

paidia

Origin

Borrowed from Ancient Greek παιδιά (paidiá, “childish play, amusement”), from παῖς (paîs, “child”).

periegesis

Origin

Borrowed from Koine Greek περιήγησις (periḗgēsis, “the action of being shown around, as by a guide (chiefly in the titles of works)”), from Ancient Greek περι- (peri-, “around, surrounding”) + ἥγησις (hḗgēsis, “command, leading”) (from ἡγέομαι (hēgéomai, “to lead”) + -σῐς (-sĭs, noun-forming suffix)), from περιηγεῖσθαι (periēgeîsthai, “to lead around”); compare Late Latin periegesis. Cognate with Greek περιήγηση (periígisi, “tour, sightseeing”).

pend

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French pendre (“to hang”), from Late Latin pendĕre, from Latin pendēre.

pragmatical

Origin

From Late Latin pragmaticus + -al. By surface analysis, pragmatic + -al.

parkin

Origin

From Parkin, a diminutive of Peter.

partay

Origin

Alteration of party.

peafowl

Origin

From pea (“peacock”) + fowl. Compare Icelandic páfugl (“peafowl”), Swedish påfågel (“peafowl”), Danish påfugl (“peafowl”).

perseverate

Origin

Back-formation from perseveration. Doublet of persevere.

perturbation

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French perturbation, from Old French perturbacion, from Latin perturbatio.

permeable

Origin

From Middle English permeable, permiable, from Latin permeābilis.

phosphorist

Origin

From phosphor + -ist, after their journal, Phosphoros, named for the morning star.

phylum

Origin

From Latin phylum, from Ancient Greek φῦλον (phûlon, “tribe, race”).