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