pp

¹ American  

abbreviation

Radio.

1. push-pull.

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PP ² American  

abbreviation

1. prepositional phrase.

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pp. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. pages.

2. past participle.

3. pianissimo.

4. privately printed.

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p.p. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. parcel post.

2. past participle.

3. per person.

4. postpaid.

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P.P. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. parcel post.

2. parish priest.

3. past participle.

4. postpaid.

5. prepaid.

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pp ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. past participle

2. (in formal correspondence) per pro

3. privately printed

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symbol

1. music pianissimo: an instruction to play very quietly

pp ² British  

abbreviation

1. parcel post

2. prepaid

3. post-paid

4. (in prescriptions) post prandium

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PP ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Parish Priest

2. past President

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pp. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. pages

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Usage

In formal correspondence, when Brenda Smith is signing on behalf of Peter Jones, she should write Peter Jones pp (or per pro ) Brenda Smith, not the other way about

Etymology

Origin of pp¹

(sense 2) Latin per procurationem: by delegation to

Origin of pp²

Latin: after a meal

Example Sentences

For 2026, Fitch boosts its U.S. forecast to 1.9%, an increase of 0.3 pp.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

BONSAI, by Alejandro Zambra | Translated by Megan McDowell | 79 pp.

From New York Times • Aug. 5, 2022

In other words, the frequency of pp individuals is simply p2; the frequency of pq individuals is 2pq; and the frequency of qq individuals is q2.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The core personal consumption expenditures index, the Fed's preferred inflation measure, would rise by 0.4 pp and 0.3 pp in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

From Reuters • Jan. 19, 2022

I return to nullius in verba below, pp.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton