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 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
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