p

¹

abbreviation for

1. Music. softly ( def 2 ).

P

²

or p

[ pee ]

noun

, plural P's or Ps, p's or ps.

1. the sixteenth letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.
2. any spoken sound represented by the letter P or p, as in pet, supper, top, etc.
3. something having the shape of a P .
4. a written or printed representation of the letter P or p.
5. a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter P or p.

p.

³

abbreviation for

1. father.

P.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. father.

p

⁵

abbreviation for

1. penny; pence.

P

⁶

abbreviation for

1. Education. (as a rating of student performance) passing.
2. Chess. pawn.
3. Electronics. plate.
4. poor.
5. Grammar. predicate.
6. Protestant.

p.

⁷

abbreviation for

1. Music. softly ( def 2 ).

P.

⁸

abbreviation for

1. pastor.
2. peseta.
3. peso.
4. post.
5. president.
6. pressure.
7. priest.
8. prince.
9. progressive.

P

⁹

Symbol.

1. the 16th in order or in a series.
2. (sometimes lowercase) the medieval Roman numeral for 400. Compare Roman numerals.
3. Genetics. parental ( def 4 ).
4. Chemistry. phosphorus ( def 1 ).
5. Physics.
   1. power ( def 15a ).
   2. pressure ( def 2 ).
   3. Chemistry. proton ( def ).
   4. space inversion.
   5. poise ²( def ).
6. Biochemistry. proline ( def ).

p.

¹⁰

abbreviation for

1. after.

p.

¹¹

abbreviation for

1. page.
2. part.
3. participle.
4. past.
5. Chess. pawn.
6. penny; pence.
7. per.
8. Grammar. person.
9. peseta.
10. peso.
11. pint.
12. pipe.
13. Baseball. pitcher.
14. pole.
15. population.
16. president.
17. pressure.
18. purl.

p-

¹²

abbreviation for

1. Chemistry. para- ¹( def 2 ).

P-

¹³

abbreviation for

1. Military. (in designations of fighter aircraft) pursuit:

   P-38.

p.

¹

abbreviation for

1. pp page
2. part
3. participle
4. past
5. per
6. post
7. pro

p-

²

prefix

1. See para-
   short for para- 1

P

³

symbol for

1. chem phosphorus
2. physics
   1. pressure
   2. power
   3. parity
   4. poise
3. (on road signs) parking
4. chess pawn
5. currency
   1. (the former) peseta
   2. peso
   3. pataca
   4. pula

abbreviation for

1. Portugal (international car registration)
2. pharmacy only: used to label medicines that can be obtained without a prescription, but only at a shop at which there is a pharmacist

p

⁴

/ piː /

noun

1. the 16th letter and 12th consonant of the modern English alphabet
2. a speech sound represented by this letter, usually a voiceless bilabial stop, as in pig
3. mind one's p's and q's
   mind one's p's and q's to be careful to behave correctly and use polite or suitable language

p

⁵

symbol for

1. (in Britain) penny or pence
2. music piano: an instruction to play quietly
3. pico-
4. physics
   1. momentum
   2. proton
   3. pressure

Word History and Origins

Origin of p¹

From the Italian word piano

Origin of p²

From the Latin word pater

Origin of p³

From the Latin word Pater

Origin of p⁴

From the Italian word piano

Origin of p⁵

From the Latin word post

Word History and Origins

Origin of p¹

(sense 6) Latin: after

Idioms and Phrases

see mind one's p's and q's .

Example Sentences

Oh, we’ve been trying for years to feed you guys clues about how worthless P values are.

From Science News

A plant that feeds its root microbiome ample exudates is a plant that receives N, P, and K plus the health-promoting goods of the root microbiome in return.

From Nautilus

When an undersea earthquake rumbles, it releases energy as seismic waves known as P waves and S waves that vibrate through the seafloor.

From Science News

To believe some proposition P is to be disposed in general to act and react as if P is true.

From Nautilus

You cannot be simultaneously disposed in general to act as if P is the case and in general to act as if not-P is the case.

From Nautilus

Perhaps it will be newly elected Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.

From The Daily Beast

I think Abraham Lincoln: A Biography by Benjamin P. Thomas, which was published 60 years ago, is magical.

From The Daily Beast

In addition to Cornyn and Abbott, George P. Bush will likely coast to victory.

From The Daily Beast

That, I submit, represents Progress with a capital P—and not just for her, but for all of us.

From The Daily Beast

Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 3, 1959.

From The Daily Beast

About this time the famous Philippine painter, Juan Luna (vide p. 195), was released after six monthsʼ imprisonment as a suspect.

From Project Gutenberg

Tobacco is a strong growing plant resisting heat and drought to a far (p. 018) greater extent than most plants.

From Project Gutenberg

Smith's method usually gives good results, as does also the more simple method of Hiss (p. 263).

From Project Gutenberg

De secretis operibus artis et naturae, et de nullitate magiae, p. 533 (Brewer).

From Project Gutenberg

He sympathized with that movement which, during his childhood, culminated in the Cavite Conspiracy (vide p. 106).

From Project Gutenberg