English spellings/Catalogs/P

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This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with P. To see a different letter (or the main page) navigate with the table at the top.

P

P = p pence = pêa eat = pêe urine

pâce speed

pàcè peace *pàhtchay

páchydërm *pákidërm

pácifist cf. pássive

paêan

paediatrícian

paêdophile

pâge

págeant - ea as schwa, *pájənt

pâid pay *pâyed, *pâde, cf. regularly formed plâyed, swâyed, etc.

pâin hurt = pâne window

pâinstâking

pãir two = péãr fruit = pãre nails

Pākistān *Pàkistán

pálatal palate

palâtial palace -shəl

pâle pallid = pâil bucket

Pálestîne

Palestínian

påll cf. Páll Máll, måll

pállet mattress = pálette paint

Pámela

panáche *pənásh

Pánamà

páncake *pángcake

Páncho cf. póncho

pánda animal = BrE pánder serve

pandemônium

pánel cf. chánnel

panoràma

paparázzi pápərátsy

pâper-thín

páprika BrE; AmE paprìka

papŷrus

parábola

párachute -shû-

páradigm -îm

Páraguay -gwî

párallel *párralel, cf. désiccate, a similar case, where one would expect double s

páralyse

parálysis

paralýtic

parámeter

pãre cut = pãir two = péãr fruit

pãrent

parîah

Parísian -ízì-

pàrliament *pàrləmənt

párrot bird = Párrott person

pàrse -z

partícipate

partisán BrE -zán, AmE pàrtisan -zən

pássè can have French accent: passé

pāssed pass = pāst time, tense, go

pássion *páshən

pássive cf. pácifist

pāst = passed

pâste copy, glue

pāsteurise from Pastëur; cf. pāsture field

pastìche -ìsh

pāstime one s

pátè can have French accents: pâté

pâtent

pàth

pathétic

pathológical á

pathólogy

pâthós

pâtience virtue, cards ≈ pâtients hospital

pátois *pátwà cf. fátwà

pâtriàrch -k

pátriot or â

patriótic - á or â

patrôl cf. pétrol

pátronise condescend

pâtronise patron

påuse stop = påws animal

pâyback noun one word

pây-óff noun

pêa vegetable = pêe urine = P letter = p pence

pêal bell = pêel fruit = Pêel person

pêak summit = pêek cheat = pìque annoyance

péãr fruit = pãir two = pãre cut cf. Pêter Pêars

Pêarce person = Pìêrce = Pêirce persons, pìêrce hole, cf. Pìêrs, -z person = pìêrs pier

pëarl stone = pürl knit, liquid

pêase pudding -z: = pêas pea

pêat bog = Pête Peter

peccadíllo

pédal foot = péddle sell

pédestal

pédigree

pédlar or péddler seller

pêe urine = pêa vegetable = p pence = P letter

pêek cheat = pêak summit = pìque annoyance

pêer look, lord = pìêr jetty

pêeved

pejórative cf. përjury

péll-méll cf. Páll Máll

pén write = Pénn person

péncil

Penélopê

penicíllin

península noun = BrE penínsular adjective

Pennsylvânia

péntagon

pénury

pêony *pêənỳ

pêople pêep-, cf. stêeple

Pêpys Samuel = pêeps looks

për normally weak, but when strong = pürr cat

per cént two words

percéntage one word

përfect adjective

perféct verb

përjury cf. pejórative

permíssion

permít verb

përmit noun

përpetrate not perper-

për sè *persây, cf. sây

përson

persôna

personálity

persôna nón gràtis

personnél staff *personéll, cf. përsonal private

persuâde -swâde

Perû

pervërse

përvërt

pervërted

péssimistic usually péz-

pétrol oil = pétrel bird, cf. patrôl

Pëugeôt ™ -zhô

ph- f-

phâeton

phálanx

phãraôh Egypt = Fãrôe Islands

pharmacôpoêia BrE, AmE pharmacôpêia rhyming with cornucôpia

phàrming chemicals = fàrming farm

phâse period = fâze puzzle

phenómena plural

phenómenon singular

pheŵ relief = feŵ many

Phílip person = fíllip stimulus

Philìppe

phîal liquid = fîle papers, nails

phíshing email = físhing water

physiógnomy *fízzy-ónomy

phlégm

Phnóm Pénh *Pənóm Pén

Phoêbê *Fêeby

Phoênix Arizona *Fêenix = phoênix or phœnix ashes

phôney or phôny; phôneys or phônies

phôtograph

photógrapher

photógraphy

phrâse -âze

phýsical -zí-, cf. físcal, -ss-

pî number π, pious = pîe food

pìanist

piáno

píc picture = píck other meanings

Piccadílly - cc, ll

píccolo

pídgin language = pígeon bird

pìêr jetty = pêer look, lord cf. Pêter Pêars, péar

pìêrce cut = Pìêrce, Pêarce, Pêirce persons

piérrot *pyérrô

pígeonhole one word

píllage -íj

pîlot plane = Pîlate Pontius

pîneápple -eá-

pínnacle

pînt cf. línt, mínt

pîonêer

pìque annoy = pêak summit = pêek look

Pîscês *Pŷsêez

pìste cf. píssed

píttance

píty

pívot

pìzza *pìtsa

pizzerìa *pìtsarìa, *pizzarìa, cf. ballerìna

pizzicàto píts-

plácard

plâce where = plâice fish

plâgiarise

pláid

pláit hair cf. plâte food

plâne air, tree, tool, surface = plâin straightforward

plánet rhymes with gánnet

plástic - some BrE speakers say plàstic

pláteau flat *pláttô, cf. Plâto philosopher

plátinum

plátypus

plâyboy one word

plâywright

pléasure -ézher

plîght *plîte

plòw AmE

plòver

plòugh BrE = plòw

plúm fruit, exact = plúmb depths, plumber

plŷ

Plýmouth -məth

pm post meridian = PM Prime Minister *pê-ém

pneumátic neû-

pŏignant *pŏinyant

Polàris

Pôle Poland = pôle wood = pôll election

polìce *plêece, cf. plêase *plêeze

poliomyelîtis

pôliovirus one word

pólish shine

Pôlish Poland

pólitburo cf. bûreau

políticking

político

pólitics

pôker cards, fire

pôlka dance

pôll vote = pôle wood = Pôle Poland, cf. tôll, knóll

póll parrot

pólythene *póllithêen

polyéthylene -éthílêen

polyphónic

polýphony

pómegranate cf. gránite

poôl swim = Poôle place, person

pŏor impecunious, unfortunate = pŏre skin, examine = pŏur liquid (some rhyme it with pûre: poôr)

pópulace noun = pópulous adjective

pŏring examining = pŏuring out

pŏrous

pornográphic

pornógraphy

Pŏrsche car = Pŏrtia person

Port-au-Prínce *Portoprínce

Pŏrtugal, Portuguêse Pŏrch-

Poseîdon

posëur pseud cf. pôser puzzle

póssê

posséss *pozéss

pôst letter = pôst- after, which must be followed by a hyphen

pósthumous

postpône pôsp-

potâtoes cf. tornâdos, both -ôz

Potômac

poùffe

práctíce AmE, BrE noun = práctíse BrE verb: in view of the pronunciation (í, not î, and with the first syllable stressed) the American use of only the -íce spelling would seem the more sensible

Pràgue *Pràhg

prây prayer = prèy victim

prãyer *prãir, cf. plâyer

pre- prí- when unstressed and in pretty, otherwise mostly prê-

precêde before prí-, cf. procêed start *prəsêed

précedent before préss- *précident, cf. président head, préz-

précious *préshəss

prècìs French accent sometimes written précis *prâycêe

prècìs’d past *prâycêed

precîse *precîce

prê-dâte

prédator

prêdecessor AmE pré-

prê-émpt hyphenated

prê-éminent hyphenated

préferable cf. prefër

prélude

prémìêr government, league, -er as schwa; AmE premìêr = premìêre

prémìére performance cf. thére; AmE premìêre = premìêr

prémíse

preóccupied - prê-

prepãre

preréquisíte

présent gift, now, here préz-

presént give príz-

prestìge -êezh

prestígious -íjəss

preténce

preténd

preténsion

preténtious

pretty prí-

prevâil

prévalent

prêvious

prèy victim = prây prayer

prîce cost = Prîce = Prŷce persons

prìma dónna *prê-madónna

prîma fâcìê *prîma-fâyshêe

prîmâte

prîme mínister *prymínister

prímitíve cf. prîmâte

prínces = prínce’s = prínces’ male cf. príncéss female - second syllable stressed if required to contrast with prínce

príncipal main = prínciple reason

principálity

prîor before, priory = Prîor, Prŷor persons

prívacy BrE; AmE prîvacy

prívilege

prîze present = prîse apart

prô- in favour, a word in its own right in prôs and cóns

probóscis

procêdure

procêed cf. precêde

procreâte

proféss

prófit money = próphet prophecy

prodûce verb

pródûce noun

pródúct

prodúctive

proféssional

prôgram - AmE uses this spelling for all meanings, while BrE only uses it with regard to computers, using prôgramme for all other meanings

progréss verb

prôgress noun BrE; AmE prógress

próject activity - some say prôject

projéct stick out

prôle

prolóng one word

prómenàde BrE, AmE -âde

prómise -íss

prônòun

pronunciâtion ú: cf. pronòunce

proôf cf. prove *proôve

propagánda

própagate

próper

próphecỳ noun

próphesŷ verb

próphet religion = prófit gain

propônent

prôs pro = prôse verse

próspect future

prospéct gold

prôtêan

protéct

protéctor

prôtegè male, prôtegèe female, can be written with a French accent: protegé, protegée *prôtezhây

prôtest noun

protést verb

prótestant

protéster or, less often, protéstor, cf. invéstor

prove *proôve, cf. proôf

prôven or *proôvən

próvenance

Provence *Provónce

Provençal *Provón-sàl

próvince

províncial -shl

provîso

provocâtion

provócative

provôke

pròwess

pròwl

prŷ

Prŷor person = prîor priory

ps- all but pssst with silent p: s-

psàlm *sàhm

pseûd - but psêudo- is not a separate word and requires a hyphen:

pseûdo-intelléctual

pseûdo-scîence

psilocŷbin

psst - p pronounced, any number of s’s

psŷch *sîke

psŷchê *sîky

psychîatrist

psychólogist cf. sýcophánt

psychólogy

psychométric

psŷchopáth

psychopáthic

psychópathy

ptàrmigan silent p

pterodáctyl térə-

públicly cf. bâsically

púcker lips BrE = púkka real

pùdding

púddle

pûerile -yû-

Puerto Rìco BrE Pwãir-, AmE Pŏr-

pugnácious

pùll push cf. poôl water

pùllover clothing cf. pùll ôver car

púmíce

púnish

pûnitive -yû-

pûny -yû-

pûre -yû-

pürl knit, liquid = pëarl stone

pürr

pús yellow cf. pùss cat

pùsh

pùt place cf. pútt golf

putâtive -yû-

pûtrid -yû-, cf. hâtred, both -íd

pùtsch cf. pùsh (minimal pair)

pùtting put

pútting putt

púzzle

pýgmy

pyjàmas BrE; AmE pajámas

pŷre

Pýrrhic