Penury (n): pen-yuh-ree
Penury is the state of being extremely poor
He was brought up in penury without education
Percussion (n): per-kuhsh-uhn
Percussion instruments are musical instruments that you hit, such as drums
The drum is a percussion instrument
Perdition (n): per-dish-uhn
If you say that someone is on the road to perdition, you mean that their behaviour is likely to lead them to failure and disaster
He was condemned to the perdition of his own wrong doings all through his life
Peregrination (n): per-i-gruh-ney-shuhn
A journey
In truth, these peregrinations required the talents of a mountain goat
Perfidy (n): pur-fi-dee (1055)
Perfidy is the action of betraying someone or behaving very badly towards someone = treachery, violation of a trust
Perigee (n): per-i-jee
A point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth
Perimeter (n): puh-rim-i-te
The perimeter of an area of land is the whole of its outer edge or boundary = outer boundary
The perimeter of the airport goes upto 10 miles
Periphery (n): puh-rif-uh-ree
If something is on the periphery of an area, place, or thing, it is on the edge of it
Geographically, the UK is on the periphery of Europe, while Paris is at the heart of the continent
Peristyle (n): per-uh-stahyl
A series of columns surrounding a building or yard
Perjury (n): pur-juh-ree (1060)
If someone who is giving evidence in a court of law commits perjury, they lie
The defense witnesses were found guilty of perjury
Peroration (n): per-uh-rey-shuhn
A peroration is the last part of a speech, especially the part where the speaker sums up his or her argument
There was not much else on offer in the leader's peroration to feed the faithful
Perquisite (n): pur-kwuh-zit
A perquisite is the same as a perk = extra benefits
The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive than the salary indicates
Persiflage (n): pur-suh-flahzh
Silly talk = banter
They gave him a bit of persiflage over the fact that his favorite team had just been knocked out of the playoffs the night before
Perspicuity (n): pur-kwuh-zit
clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
Perusal (n): puh-roo-zuhl (1065)
Perusal of something such as a letter, article, or document is the action of reading it = reading
Keep this brochure for your perusal
Perversion (n): per-vur-zhuhn, -shuhn
You can refer to a sexual desire or action that you consider to be abnormal and unacceptable as a perversion
What monostrous perversion of the human spirit leads a sniper to open fire on a bus carrying children?
Perversity (n): per-vur-si-tee
Stubborn maintenance of a wrong cause
He refused the money out of sheer perversity
Pessimism (n): pes-uh-miz-uhm
Pessimism is the belief that bad things are going to happen
My first reaction was one of deep pessimism
Phial (n): fahy-uhl
A phial is a small tube-shaped glass bottle used, for example, to hold medicine = small bottle
Philanderer (n): fi-lan-der (1070)
If you say that a man is a philanderer, you mean that he has a lot of casual sexual relationships with women = womanizer
He was handsome, fun, charming but a philanderer
Philanthropy (n): fi-lan-thruh-pee
Philanthropy is the giving of money to people who need it, without wanting anything in return
Voluntary promotion of human welfare; active humanitarianism
Philistine (n): fil-uh-steen
If you call someone a philistine, you mean that they do not care about or understand good art, music, or literature, and do not think that they are important
She dismissed critics of her work as philistines
Philology (n): fi-lol-uh-jee
Philology is the study of words, especially the history and development of the words in a particular language or group of languages = study of language
His love for philology made him learn fifteen languages
Phobia (n): foh-bee-uh
A phobia is a very strong irrational fear or hatred of something = morbid fear
The man had a phobia about flying
Physiognomy (n): fiz-ee-og-nuh-mee (1075)
Your physiognomy is your face, especially when it is considered to show your real character = face, countenance
He was fascinated by her physiognomy; the prominent nose, brooding eyes and thick hair
Piety (n): pahy-i-tee
Piety is strong religious belief, or behaviour that is religious or morally correct = devoutness; reverence for God
Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplifies the true spirit of piety
Pinnacle (n): pin-uh-kuhl
A pinnacle is a pointed piece of stone or rock that is high above the ground = peak, zenith, summit
Mr Manmohan singh has reached the pinnacle of his political career
Pique (n): peek
An irritation, resentment
Pittance (n): pit-ns
If you say that you receive a pittance, you are emphasizing that you get only a very small amount of money, probably not as much as you think you deserve
He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of revenue
Plagiarism (n): pley-juh-riz-uhm (1080)
Plagiarism is the practice of using or copying someone else's idea or work and pretending that you thought of it or created it
Now he's in real trouble He's accused of plagiarism
Platitude (n): plat-i-tood
A platitude is a statement which is considered meaningless and boring because it has been made many times before in similar situations = banality
The opposition leader mouthed a stream of platitudes, outlining many problems, but offering few solutions
Plebiscite (n): pleb-uh-sahyt
A plebiscite is a direct vote by the people of a country or region in which they say whether they agree or disagree with a particular policy, for example whether a region should become an independent state = referendum
Pakistan has been demanding plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir since long
Plentitude (n):
Plenitude is a feeling that an experience is satisfying because it is full or complete = fullness, completeness
The music brought him a feeling of plentitude and freedom
Plethora (n): pleth-er-uh
A plethora of something is a large amount of it, especially an amount of it that is greater than you need, want, or can cope with = excess; overabundance
She offered a plethora of reasons for her shortcomings
Plutocracy (n): ploo-tok-ruh-see (1085)
A plutocracy is a country which is ruled by its wealthiest people, or a class of wealthy people who rule a country
Financial, not moral considerations will prevail in a plutocracy
Podiatrist (n): puh-dahy-uh-trist
A podiatrist is a person whose job is to treat and care for people's feet
Podium (n): poh-dee-uhm
A podium is a small platform on which someone stands in order to give a lecture or conduct an orchestra = pedestal, raised platform
Poignancy (n): poin-yuhn-see
Poignancy is the quality that something has when it affects you deeply and makes you feel very sad
The fact that he had been talking to the victims only minutes before their deaths gave the tragedy greater poignancy
Polemic (n): puh-lem-ik
A polemic is a very strong written or spoken attack on, or defence of, a particular belief or opinion = argumentation
The book is both a history and a passionate polemic for telerance
Polemic (n): puh-lem-ik (1090)
A polemic is a very strong written or spoken attack on, or defence of, a particular belief or opinion = controversy
The celebrated author has launched a fierce anti-war polemic
Polity (n): pol-i-tee
A polity is an organized society, such as a nation, city, or church, together with its government and administration
Our polity is devoted to the concept that the government should strive for the good of all citizens
Poltroon (n): pol-troon
A polo shirt is a soft short-sleeved piece of clothing with a collar, which you put on over your head = coward
He was labeled a poltroon since he refused to go out in the dark on his own
Polygamist (n): puh-lig-uh-mist
One who has more than one spouse at a time
Porphyry (n): pawr-fuh-ree
An igneous rock containing feldspar or quartz crystals
Portent (n): pawr-tent (1095)
A portent is something that indicates what is likely to happen in the future = omen, forewarning
He was a portent of the black days to come
Posterity (n): po-ster-i-tee
You can refer to everyone who will be alive in the future as posterity = descendants, future generations
A photographer recorded the scene on video for posterity
Postulate (n): pos-chuh-leyt
If you postulate something, you suggest it as the basis for a theory, argument, or calculation, or assume that it is the basis = self-evident truth
Newton postulated that the things fall on earth becuse of its gravitational pull
Potentate (n): poht-n-teyt
A potentate is a ruler who has complete power over his people = monarch, sovereign
Potion (n): poh-shuhn
A potion is a drink that contains medicine, poison, or something that is supposed to have magic powers = dose of liquid
Potpourri (n): poh-poo-ree (1100)
A potpourri of things is a collection of various different items which were not originally intended to form a group = miscellany, heterogeneous mixture
The exhibition displays a potpourri of architectural styles from all over the world
