This list includes 171 Big words that start with P, from “pachyderm” to “pusillanimous.” Most are polysyllabic, formal words often rooted in Latin or Greek. You can use them for precise writing, persuasive speech, vocabulary study, and creative expression.
Big words that start with P are advanced, often polysyllabic terms that convey precise meanings and elevated tone. Many came through Latin and Greek during scientific and literary expansion; for example, “pachyderm” reflects Greek roots meaning “thick skin.”
Below you’ll find the table with word, etymology, and definition.
Word: The entry term itself, so you can scan and pick the exact P-word you want.
Etymology: Shows each word’s origin and root morphemes, helping you understand meaning and guide correct usage.
Definition: Gives a concise, one-sentence meaning so you can quickly grasp the sense and use it appropriately.
Big words that start with P
| Word | Part of Speech | Syllables | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| pachyderm | n. | 3 | Greek pachy- “thick” + derma, 17th century |
| palimpsest | n. | 3 | Greek palimpsestos “scraped again”, Medieval Latin |
| panacea | n. | 4 | Greek panakeia “all-healing”, classical |
| panegyric | n. | 4 | Greek panēgyrikos “of public assembly”, Late Latin |
| panacea | n. | 4 | Greek panakeia “all-healing” |
| pandemic | adj./n. | 3 | Greek pan- “all” + demos “people”, 19th century |
| panoply | n. | 3 | Greek panoplia “full armor”, classical |
| panopticon | n. | 4 | Greek pan- “all” + optikon “seen”, 18th century |
| paradigm | n. | 3 | Greek paradeigma “pattern, example”, 17th century |
| paradigmatic | adj. | 5 | Greek paradeigma “pattern”, academic usage |
| paradoxical | adj. | 5 | Greek para “beyond” + doxa “opinion”, 16th century |
| paradox | n. | 3 | Greek para “beyond” + doxa “opinion” |
| parsimony | n. | 4 | Latin parsimonia “frugality”, 15th century |
| parsimonious | adj. | 5 | Latin parsimonia “frugality” |
| palliative | adj./n. | 4 | Latin palliare “to cloak”, 17th century |
| palpitation | n. | 4 | Latin palpitare “to throb”, medical use |
| panegyric | n. | 4 | Greek panēgyrikos “public festival speech” |
| panoply | n. | 3 | Greek panoplia “complete armor” |
| pantheon | n. | 3 | Greek pantheion “of all gods”, Latin |
| pantheon | n. | 3 | Greek pantheion “of all gods” |
| papilloma | n. | 4 | Latin papilla “nipple” + -oma tumor |
| parlous | adj. | 3 | Old French perilous, Latin periculosus |
| paradisiacal | adj. | 5 | Greek paradeisos “park, paradise” |
| paralogism | n. | 4 | Greek paralogismos “illogical reasoning” |
| parenthetical | adj. | 5 | Greek parenthesis “insertion” |
| paring | v. | 3 | Old English? (common) |
| parsing | n. | 2 | Latin pars “part” |
| parsimony | n. | 4 | Latin parsimonia “frugality” |
| participle | n. | 4 | Latin participium “sharing in part” |
| participatory | adj. | 6 | Latin participare “to share” + -ory |
| particularize | v. | 5 | Latin particula “small part” |
| paucity | n. | 3 | Latin paucitas “fewness” |
| pedagogy | n. | 4 | Greek paidagōgia “teaching, discipline” |
| pedantic | adj. | 3 | French pédant, Latin paedagogus |
| pellucid | adj. | 3 | Latin pellucidus “transparent” |
| penultimate | adj. | 4 | Latin paenultimus “almost last” |
| penurious | adj. | 4 | Latin penuria “want, scarcity” |
| perennial | adj. | 4 | Latin perennis “lasting through the year(s)” |
| perfidious | adj. | 4 | Latin perfidia “treachery” |
| perfunctory | adj. | 4 | Latin perfunctorius “careless, cursory” |
| peripatetic | adj. | 5 | Greek peripatētikos “walking about” |
| peripheral | adj. | 4 | Greek peripheria “circumference” |
| peroration | n. | 4 | Latin peroratio “conclusion of speech” |
| perseverance | n. | 4 | Latin perseverantia “steadfastness” |
| perspicacious | adj. | 5 | Latin perspicax “seeing clearly” |
| perspicacity | n. | 6 | Latin perspicax “keen-sighted” |
| perspicuity | n. | 5 | Latin perspicuitas “clearness” |
| perspicuous | adj. | 4 | Latin perspicuus “transparent, clear” |
| perturbation | n. | 4 | Latin perturbatio “disturbance” |
| perambulate | v. | 4 | Latin perambulare “to walk about” |
| peregrination | n. | 5 | Latin peregrinari “to travel abroad” |
| perfidiousness | n. | 4 | Latin perfidia “treachery” |
| peroration | n. | 4 | Latin peroratio “concluding speech” |
| perplexity | n. | 3 | Latin perplexitas “entanglement” |
| perseverate | v. | 4 | Latin perseverare “to persist” |
| perusal | n. | 3 | Latin perusus “reading through” |
| pervasive | adj. | 3 | Latin pervadere “to spread through” |
| perversion | n. | 4 | Latin pervertere “to corrupt” |
| peregrine | adj./n. | 3 | Latin peregrinus “foreign” / species name |
| perquisite | n. | 3 | Latin praecisio? (likely perquisitum) |
| persiflage | n. | 3 | French persiflage “light mockery” |
| personification | n. | 6 | Latin persona “mask” + -ficare “to make” |
| pertinacious | adj. | 4 | Latin pertinax “holding fast” |
| pertinent | adj. | 3 | Latin pertinens “relating to” |
| perusal | n. | 3 | Latin perusus “examination” |
| peremptory | adj. | 4 | Latin peremptorius “final, decisive” |
| pernicious | adj. | 4 | Latin perniciosus “destructive” |
| peroration | n. | 4 | Latin perorare “to conclude a speech” |
| perseverant | adj. | 4 | Latin perseverare “to persist” |
| personable | adj. | 4 | Latin persona “person” |
| perspicuity | n. | 5 | Latin perspicuitas “clarity” |
| persuasion | n. | 3 | Latin persuadere “to convince” |
| pertinence | n. | 3 | Latin pertinens “relevance” |
| pessimistic | adj. | 4 | Latin pessimus “worst” |
| petulant | adj. | 3 | Latin petulans “impertinent” |
| pharmaceutical | adj. | 5 | Greek pharmakeutikos “of drugs” |
| philanthropy | n. | 4 | Greek philanthrōpia “love of mankind” |
| philistine | n./adj. | 3 | Greek philistine? via German |
| philology | n. | 4 | Greek philologia “love of learning” |
| phlegmatic | adj. | 3 | Greek phlegmatikos “calm, sluggish” |
| phonetic | adj. | 3 | Greek phōnētikos “of sound” |
| philanthropic | adj. | 4 | Greek philanthrōpia “love of mankind” |
| philosophical | adj. | 5 | Greek philosophia “love of wisdom” |
| philosophy | n. | 4 | Greek philosophia “love of wisdom” |
| photovoltaic | adj. | 5 | Greek phōs “light” + voltaic (electricity) |
| photosynthesis | n. | 5 | Greek phōt- “light” + synthesis “putting together” |
| plethora | n. | 3 | Greek plēthōra “fullness” |
| pleonasm | n. | 3 | Greek pleonazein “to be excessive” |
| pleonastic | adj. | 4 | Greek pleonasmos “excess” |
| plausibility | n. | 5 | Latin plausibilis “applaudable” |
| platitudinous | adj. | 5 | French platitude “trite remark” |
| platitude | n. | 3 | French plat “flat” |
| plenitude | n. | 3 | Latin plenitudo “fullness” |
| plenipotentiary | n. | 7 | Latin plenus “full” + potens “power” |
| pleonasm | n. | 3 | Greek pleonazein “to be excessive” |
| plausibility | n. | 5 | Latin plausibilis “believable” |
| platitudinous | adj. | 5 | French platitude “banality” |
| polarization | n. | 5 | Greek polos “axis” via Latin |
| polemical | adj. | 4 | Greek polemikos “warlike” |
| polysyllabic | adj. | 5 | Greek poly “many” + syllabē “syllable” |
| polyglot | adj./n. | 3 | Greek polyglyttos “many-tongued” |
| polyphonic | adj. | 4 | Greek poly- “many” + phōnē “sound” |
| polymath | n. | 3 | Greek polymathēs “having learned much” |
| polymorphism | n. | 4 | Greek poly “many” + morphē “form” |
| polymerization | n. | 6 | Greek poly- “many” + meros “part” |
| pomposity | n. | 4 | Latin pompa “show” |
| pontificate | v. | 4 | Latin pontifex “high priest” |
| pontification | n. | 5 | Latin pontificatus “office of pontiff” |
| population | n. | 4 | Latin populatio “peopling” |
| posthumous | adj. | 3 | Latin postumus “last, after death” |
| postprandial | adj. | 4 | Latin post “after” + prandium “meal” |
| postulate | v./n. | 3 | Latin postulare “to demand” |
| postulation | n. | 4 | Latin postulatio “request, demand” |
| potentiality | n. | 6 | Latin potens “able” + -iality |
| potentiate | v. | 4 | Latin potens “powerful” |
| precarious | adj. | 4 | Latin precarius “obtained by prayer” |
| precipitous | adj. | 4 | Latin praecipitare “to throw headlong” |
| precipitation | n. | 5 | Latin praecipitare “to throw down” |
| precocious | adj. | 3 | Latin praecox “early ripening” |
| predilection | n. | 4 | Latin prae “before” + diligere “to prefer” |
| predisposition | n. | 5 | Latin prae “before” + disposicio “arrangement” |
| preponderance | n. | 4 | Latin praeponere “to place before” |
| preposterous | adj. | 4 | Latin prae “before” + posterus “after” |
| prevaricate | v. | 4 | Latin praevaricari “to straddle, evade” |
| prerogative | n. | 4 | Latin praerogativa “privilege” |
| presumptuous | adj. | 4 | Latin praesumptuosus “overbold” |
| presupposition | n. | 5 | Latin prae “before” + supponere “to put under” |
| primogeniture | n. | 5 | Latin primus “first” + genus “birth” |
| primordial | adj. | 4 | Latin primordium “first beginning” |
| principality | n. | 5 | Latin princeps “first, ruler” |
| probabilistic | adj. | 5 | Latin probabilis “worthy of approval” |
| probity | n. | 3 | Latin probitas “goodness, honesty” |
| problematize | v. | 5 | Greek problēma “obstacle” + -ize |
| procedural | adj. | 4 | Latin procedere “to go forward” |
| procurement | n. | 3 | Latin procurare “to obtain” |
| proclivity | n. | 4 | Latin pro- “forward” + clivus “slope” |
| procrastination | n. | 5 | Latin pro- “forward” + crastinus “tomorrow” |
| procrustean | adj. | 4 | Greek Procrustes (mythic), metaphorical use |
| prodigious | adj. | 4 | Latin prodigiosus “marvelous” |
| prodigality | n. | 5 | Latin prodigare “to squander” |
| profligacy | n. | 4 | Latin profligare “to strike down” |
| profoundity (profundity) | n. | 4 | Latin profundus “deep” |
| professorial | adj. | 5 | Latin professus “declared, taught” |
| prognosticate | v. | 4 | Greek prognostikos “foretelling” |
| prognostication | n. | 5 | Greek prognōstikos “foretelling” |
| proliferation | n. | 5 | Latin proliferare “to reproduce” |
| prolixity | n. | 4 | Latin prolixus “extended” |
| promulgate | v. | 3 | Latin promulgare “to make publicly known” |
| pronouncement | n. | 4 | Old French prononcment “declaration” |
| pronunciation | n. | 5 | Latin pronuntiare “to announce” |
| propinquity | n. | 4 | Latin propinquitas “nearness” |
| propitious | adj. | 3 | Latin propitius “favorable” |
| propensity | n. | 4 | Latin prōpendere “to incline” |
| propitiate | v. | 4 | Latin propitiare “to appease” |
| propitiation | n. | 5 | Latin propitiare “appeasement” |
| proportionate | adj. | 4 | Latin proportio “relationship” |
| proportionally | adv. | 5 | Latin proporre “to put forward” |
| prosecution | n. | 4 | Latin prosequi “to pursue” |
| proselytize | v. | 4 | Greek proselytos “newcomer” |
| prosperity | n. | 4 | Latin prosperitas “success, good fortune” |
| protean | adj. | 3 | Greek prōtos “first” via proteus myth |
| protectorate | n. | 4 | Latin protector “one who protects” |
| protagonist | n. | 4 | Greek protagonists “first actor” |
| protozoan | n. | 4 | Greek proto- “first” + zoon “animal” |
| protuberance | n. | 4 | Latin protuberare “to swell forward” |
| psychiatric | adj. | 4 | Greek psyche “mind” + iatrikos “medical” |
| psychoanalysis | n. | 6 | Greek psyche “mind” + analysis “loosening” |
| psychopathology | n. | 6 | Greek psyche “mind” + pathos “suffering” |
| psychiatry | n. | 4 | Greek iatreia “healing” + psyche “mind” |
| pusillanimous | adj. | 5 | Latin pusillus “very small” + animus “spirit” |
Descriptions
pachyderm
A large, thick-skinned mammal (or informally, a large, ponderous person); used in zoology and metaphor.
palimpsest
A reused manuscript or a thing layered with traces of earlier versions or history.
panacea
A supposed cure-all or remedy thought to solve many problems at once.
panegyric
A formal public speech or written praise, often highly laudatory.
panacea
A remedy that supposedly cures all ills or difficulties.
pandemic
An epidemic that spreads across a wide region or worldwide.
panoply
A complete or impressive collection or display, often ceremonial.
panopticon
A circular prison design allowing observation of all inmates from one point; metaphor for surveillance.
paradigm
A model or example that serves as a pattern for thinking or practice.
paradigmatic
Relating to or serving as a typical example or model.
paradoxical
Seemingly self-contradictory but perhaps true; surprising in an interesting way.
paradox
A statement or situation that contradicts intuition yet may be true.
parsimony
Extreme unwillingness to spend resources; economical to the point of stinginess.
parsimonious
Unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy.
palliative
Relieving symptoms without curing the cause; also a treatment that eases rather than heals.
palpitation
A noticeably rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeat.
panegyric
A rhetorical expression of high praise; encomium.
panoply
An impressive full set or array; ceremonial display.
pantheon
A group of particularly respected people or a temple to all gods.
pantheon
A collective of distinguished figures or deities.
papilloma
A benign wart-like growth caused by viruses.
parlous
Dangerous or precarious; risky (used in formal contexts).
paradisiacal
Resembling paradise; extremely pleasant or idyllic.
paralogism
A piece of reasoning that is fallacious or logically unsound.
parenthetical
Inserted as additional, explanatory material; incidental.
paring
Careful trimming or reduction (less formal usage); not a separate headword here.
parsing
The process of analyzing sentence structure (2 syllables; excluded from main list).
parsimony
Extreme thrift or stinginess in resource use.
participle
A verb form used as an adjective or to form verb tenses.
participatory
Involving or allowing active participation by people.
particularize
To describe in detail or make specific.
paucity
A smallness of quantity; scarcity.
pedagogy
The theory and practice of education and instructional methods.
pedantic
Overly concerned with minor rules or academic knowledge; showy scholarship.
pellucid
Clear in meaning or style; allowing light to pass through plainly.
penultimate
Second to last in a sequence.
penurious
Extremely poor or stingy; marked by deprivation.
perennial
Lasting for a long time or recurring regularly.
perfidious
Deliberately treacherous; deceitful and untrustworthy.
perfunctory
Done with minimal effort or reflection; routine and superficial.
peripatetic
Someone who travels from place to place; itinerant.
peripheral
On the edge or boundary; secondary in importance.
peroration
The concluding part of a speech, often rhetorical and summative.
perseverance
Steady persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay.
perspicacious
Having keen insight and good judgment; quick to understand.
perspicacity
Acuteness of mental perception and understanding; shrewdness.
perspicuity
Clarity and lucidity in expression or thought.
perspicuous
Clearly expressed and easy to understand.
perturbation
A disturbance or deviation from the normal state; anxiety or disorder.
perambulate
To stroll or walk through or around a place, often for inspection.
peregrination
A long journey or period of wandering, often literary.
perfidiousness
Quality of being faithless or deceitful.
peroration
The ending portion of an oration; rhetorical summing-up.
perplexity
A state of confusion or puzzlement.
perseverate
To repeat an action or thought persistently, often undesirably.
perusal
Careful reading or examination (formal usage).
pervasive
Spreading widely throughout an area or group.
perversion
A distortion or corruption of something’s original meaning or purpose.
peregrine
Wandering; also a falcon species (common and literary usage).
perquisite
A fringe benefit or perk; an incidental right or privilege.
persiflage
Light, teasing talk or banter; playful ridicule.
personification
Attributing human traits to nonhuman things or an embodied abstraction.
pertinacious
Holding firmly to an opinion or course of action; stubbornly persistent.
pertinent
Relevant and to the point (three syllables but formal enough).
perusal
Careful reading or review; study.
peremptory
Commanding, leaving no opportunity for refusal or debate.
pernicious
Highly injurious or harmful in a gradual, subtle way.
peroration
The rousing final part of an address; rhetorical closure.
perseverant
Continuing steadily despite difficulties; persistent.
personable
Having a pleasant appearance and manner; personable (formal).
perspicuity
Lucidity of expression; clearness of thought or style.
persuasion
The act or power of convincing others (formal register).
pertinence
The quality of being relevant or applicable (formal usage).
pessimistic
Tending to see the worst aspect of things; negative outlook.
petulant
Irritable or sulky in a childish way (formal descriptive term).
pharmaceutical
Relating to medicinal drugs or their preparation and sale.
philanthropy
Charitable giving or actions intended to promote human welfare.
philistine
Someone indifferent to culture or the arts; uncultured and materialistic.
philology
The study of language in historical texts; literary and linguistic scholarship.
phlegmatic
Calm, unemotional, or stoic temperament.
phonetic
Relating to speech sounds or their production.
philanthropic
Generous; relating to charitable giving or benevolence.
philosophical
Calm and rational in attitude; relating to philosophy.
philosophy
The study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, and values.
photovoltaic
Converting light into electrical energy, as in solar cells.
photosynthesis
How plants convert light, CO2, and water into energy and oxygen.
plethora
An excess or overabundance of something.
pleonasm
Redundant expression; use of more words than necessary.
pleonastic
Using superfluous words; redundantly phrased.
plausibility
The quality of seeming reasonable or probable.
platitudinous
Full of banal, overused sayings; tediously predictable.
platitude
A trite, unoriginal remark presented as if fresh or profound.
plenitude
A state of abundance or completeness.
plenipotentiary
A diplomat invested with full powers to act on behalf of a government.
pleonasm
Use of more words than necessary; redundancy.
plausibility
How believable or credible a claim or explanation appears.
platitudinous
Marked by dullness and obviousness; filled with clichés.
polarization
Division into sharply contrasting groups or opinions.
polemical
Controversial or disputatious in argument; relating to strong verbal attack.
polysyllabic
Containing many syllables; long words with multiple syllables.
polyglot
Someone who speaks several languages; multilingual.
polyphonic
Composed of many independent melodic lines or voices.
polymath
A person with deep knowledge in several fields.
polymorphism
The occurrence of multiple forms or structures within a species or system.
polymerization
The chemical process of linking small molecules into long chains.
pomposity
Self-important, pretentious display of dignity or importance.
pontificate
To speak or behave in a self-important, dogmatic manner.
pontification
Authoritative or pompous expression of opinions; sermonizing.
population
The inhabitants of a place or the number of people in a region.
posthumous
Occurring or published after someone’s death.
postprandial
Occurring after a meal.
postulate
To assume or claim as a basic principle or prerequisite.
postulation
The act of positing or assuming as a basis for reasoning.
potentiality
Capacity for development or coming into being; latent ability.
potentiate
To increase the power, effect, or likelihood of something.
precarious
Dangerously uncertain or unstable; risky.
precipitous
Very steep or sudden; hasty and rash (formal).
precipitation
Any form of water falling from atmosphere; also sudden action.
precocious
Showing unusually early development or maturity, especially mental.
predilection
A preference or bias in favor of something.
predisposition
A tendency or susceptibility toward a condition or behavior.
preponderance
The state of being greater in number, weight, or importance.
preposterous
Contrary to reason or common sense; absurd or ridiculous.
prevaricate
To speak or act evasively; to lie or mislead.
prerogative
An exclusive right or privilege, often official or hereditary.
presumptuous
Overstepping due bounds; brazenly arrogant or forward.
presupposition
An implicit assumption taken for granted in discourse.
primogeniture
Right of the firstborn to inherit the family estate.
primordial
Existing at the very beginning; fundamental or primeval.
principality
A territory ruled by a prince; a sovereign principality.
probabilistic
Relating to or based on probability and statistical likelihood.
probity
Honesty and strong moral principles (formal register).
problematize
To pose or treat something as a problem for analysis.
procedural
Relating to official or established methods and procedures.
procurement
The act of acquiring goods or services, especially for organizations.
proclivity
A natural inclination or tendency toward something.
procrastination
The habit of delaying tasks or decisions needlessly.
procrustean
Forcible uniformity; enforcing conformity by arbitrary means.
prodigious
Remarkably great in size, force, or extent; extraordinary.
prodigality
Excessive or wasteful spending; lavishness.
profligacy
Reckless extravagance or licentious behavior.
profoundity (profundity)
Depth of insight or knowledge; intellectual depth.
professorial
Characteristic of professors: scholarly, didactic, or academic in tone.
prognosticate
To predict or foretell future events based on signs.
prognostication
An act of forecasting or a prediction.
proliferation
Rapid increase in number or spread of something.
prolixity
Excessive lengthiness in speech or writing; wordiness.
promulgate
To formally proclaim or make widely known (a law, idea, or policy).
pronouncement
A formal or authoritative statement or decision.
pronunciation
The accepted way to say words; articulation of sounds.
propinquity
Physical or psychological proximity; closeness in place or relationship.
propitious
Indicating a good chance of success; favorable or auspicious.
propensity
A natural inclination or tendency to behave in a particular way.
propitiate
To win or regain the favor of someone, especially a deity, by doing something.
propitiation
The act of appeasing or making amends to gain favor.
proportionate
Corresponding in size, degree, or amount to something else.
proportionally
In a way that preserves a consistent relationship between parts.
prosecution
The act of bringing legal action against someone; also conducting legal proceedings.
proselytize
To attempt to convert someone to another religion or belief.
prosperity
A state of economic success, well-being, or flourishing.
protean
Versatile and adaptable; readily assuming different forms.
protectorate
A territory protected and partially controlled by a stronger state.
protagonist
The leading character in a drama or main advocate of a cause.
protozoan
A diverse group of single-celled microscopic organisms.
protuberance
A swelling or projection that juts out from a surface.
psychiatric
Relating to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
psychoanalysis
A theory and method for treating mental disorders via verbal exploration.
psychopathology
The study of mental disorders and maladaptive behaviors.
psychiatry
Medical specialty dealing with mental illness diagnosis and treatment.
pusillanimous
Weak-spirited; lacking courage or resolve; timid.