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Glossary · Nouns · P

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TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Percussion InstrumentnounMWEa musical instrument in which the sound is produced by one object striking anotherverifiedMay 18, 2026
Percussion SectionnounMWEthe section of a band or orchestra that plays percussion instrumentsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Percussionistnouna musician who plays percussion instrumentsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Percussive InstrumentnounMWEa musical instrument in which the sound is produced by one object striking anotherverifiedMay 18, 2026
Percussornoun(medicine) a small hammer with a rubber head used in percussive examinations of the chest and in testing reflexesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perditionnoun(Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evilverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perdurabilitynounthe property of being extremely durableverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pere David's DeernounMWElarge Chinese deer surviving only in domesticated herdsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Peregrinationnountraveling or wandering aroundverifiedMay 18, 2026
Peregrine FalconnounMWEa widely distributed falcon formerly used in falconryverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perennationnounthe process of living through a number of years (as a perennial plant)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Perennial PeanounMWEperennial climber of central and southern Europe having purple or pink or white flowersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perennial RagweednounMWEcoarse perennial ragweed with creeping roots of dry barren lands of southwestern United States and MexicoverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perennial RyegrassnounMWEEuropean perennial grass widely cultivated for pasture and hay and as a lawn grassverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perennial Salt Marsh AsternounMWEa variety of asterverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perestroikanounan economic policy adopted in the former Soviet UnionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfect GamenounMWEa game in which a pitcher does not allow any opposing player to reach baseverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfect GasnounMWEa hypothetical gas with molecules of negligible size that exert no intermolecular forcesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfect ParticiplenounMWEa participle that expresses completed actionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfect PitchnounMWEthe ability to identify the pitch of a toneverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfect TensenounMWEverb form that indicates that an action or circumstance occurred earlier than the time under consideration, often focusing attention on the resulting state rather than on the occurrence itselfverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfectanouna bet that you can pick the first and second finishers in the right orderverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfecternouna skilled worker who perfects somethingverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfectibilitynounthe capability of becoming perfectverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfectionnounthe state of being without a flaw or defectverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfectionismnouna disposition to feel that anything less than perfect is unacceptableverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfectionistnouna person who is displeased by anything that does not meet very high standardsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfectivenouna tense of verbs used in describing action that has been completed (sometimes regarded as perfective aspect)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfective AspectnounMWEthe aspect of a verb that expresses a completed actionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfective TensenounMWEa tense of verbs used in describing action that has been completed (sometimes regarded as perfective aspect)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfidiousnessnounbetrayal of a trustverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfidynounan act of deliberate betrayalverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfluorocarbonnouna powerful greenhouse gas emitted during the production of aluminumverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfoliate LeafnounMWEa leaf with the base united around--and apparently pierced by--the stemverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perforated EardrumnounMWEan eardrum with a hole or tear in itverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perforating VeinnounMWEveins that accompany the perforating arteriesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perforationnounthe act of punching a hole, especially a row of holes as for ease of separationverifiedMay 18, 2026
performancenounThe act of doing a job, an activity, etc.MetricMay 9, 2026
Performance BondnounMWEa bond given to protect the recipient against loss in case the terms of a contract are not filledverifiedMay 18, 2026
Performance CapabilitynounMWEthe capability of a technological system to perform as intendedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Performance Reference ModelnounMWEFramework for performance measurement providing common output measurements throughout the federal government. It allows agencies to better manage the business of government at a strategic level by providing a means for using an agency’s EA to measure the success of information systems investments and their impact on strategic outcomes.FrameworkInternalMay 12, 2026
performance reviewnounMWEThe purpose of this task is to evaluate one's abilities to execute the required functions of a job and to analyze the system for performance against a known benchmark or design document.ProcessMay 12, 2026
Performernounan entertainer who performs a dramatic or musical work for an audienceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Performingnounthe performance of a part or role in a dramaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Performing ArtistnounMWEan entertainer who performs a dramatic or musical work for an audienceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Performing ArtsnounMWEarts or skills that require public performanceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfumernouna person who makes (and sells) perfumesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfumerynounan establishment where perfumes are madeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perfusionnounpumping a liquid into an organ or tissue (especially by way of blood vessels)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Pergolanouna framework that supports climbing plantsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perinoun(Persian folklore) a supernatural being descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is doneverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perianthnouncollective term for the outer parts of a flower consisting of the calyx and corolla and enclosing the stamens and pistilsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periapsisnoun(astronomy) the point in an orbit closest to the body being orbitedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periarterial PlexusnounMWEan autonomic plexus that accompanies an arteryverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periarteritisnouninflammation of the outer coat of an arteryverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periarteritis NodosanounMWEa progressive disease of connective tissue that is characterized by nodules along arteriesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericardial CavitynounMWEthe space between the layers of the pericardium that contains fluid that lubricates the membrane surfaces and allows easy heart movementverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericardial SacnounMWEthe membrane surrounding the heartverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericardial SpacenounMWEthe space between the layers of the pericardium that contains fluid that lubricates the membrane surfaces and allows easy heart movementverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericardial VeinnounMWEseveral small veins from the pericardiumverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericarditisnouninflammation of the pericardiumverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericardiumnouna serous membrane with two layers that surrounds the heartverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericarpnounthe ripened and variously modified walls of a plant ovaryverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pericementoclasianounpus pocket formation around a toothverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periclasenouna white solid mineral that occurs naturally as periclaseverifiedMay 18, 2026
Peridiniannounflagellate with a thick test composed of platesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Peridiumnounouter layer of the spore-bearing organ in many fungiverifiedMay 18, 2026
Peridotnouna pale green variety of chrysoliteverifiedMay 18, 2026
Peridotitenouna dark coarse-grained igneous rock consisting principally of olivineverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perigeenounperiapsis in Earth orbitverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perigonnounan angle of 360 degreesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perigonenouncollective term for the outer parts of a flower consisting of the calyx and corolla and enclosing the stamens and pistilsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perigoniumnouncollective term for the outer parts of a flower consisting of the calyx and corolla and enclosing the stamens and pistilsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perihelionnounperiapsis in solar orbitverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perijovenounperiapsis in orbit around JupiterverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perilousnessnounthe state of being dangerousverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perilunenounperiapsis in orbit around the moonverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perilymphnounthe bodily fluid that fills the space between the bony labyrinth and the membranous labyrinth of the inner earverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perimeternoun(C&A) Encompasses all those components of the system that are to be accredited by the DAA, and excludes separately accredited systems to which the system is connected. (Authorization) Encompasses all those components of the system or network for which a Body of Evidence is provided in support of a formal approval to operate.SystemMay 12, 2026
Perimysiumnounthe sheath of connective tissue that covers a bundle of muscle fibersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perinatologistnounan obstetrician specializing in perinatologyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perinatologynounthe branch of obstetrics concerned with the anatomy and physiology and diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the mother and the fetus or newborn baby during late pregnancy and childbirth and the puerperiumverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perineal ArterynounMWEa branch of the internal pudendal artery that supplies superficial structures of the perineumverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perineotomynounsurgical incision into the perineumverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perineumnounthe general region between the anus and the genital organsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Perineuriumnounthe sheath of connective tissue that covers a bundle of nerve fibersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodnouna punctuation mark (.) placed at the end of a declarative sentence to indicate a full stop or after abbreviationsverifiedMay 18, 2026
period of inactivitynounMWEThe planned or actual time an operation is not engaged in run time, or the active production of a product. Idle time is typically scheduled, for setup, maintenance or other activities, or unscheduled due to lack of a required resource such as material.MetricMay 12, 2026
Period of PlaynounMWE(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceedsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Period of TimenounMWEan amount of timeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Period PiecenounMWEany work of art whose special value lies in its evocation of a historical periodverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodic AcidnounMWEany acid of iodine that contains oxygenverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodic Apnea of the NewbornnounMWEirregular breathing of newbornsverifiedMay 18, 2026
periodic assessmentnounMWEAn assessment that is conducted on a regular interval.ProcessMay 9, 2026
Periodic BreathingnounMWEabnormal respiration in which periods of shallow and deep breathing alternateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodic EdemanounMWErecurrent large circumscribed areas of subcutaneous edemaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodic EventnounMWEan event that recurs at intervalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodic LawnounMWE(chemistry) the principle that chemical properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodic MotionnounMWEmotion that recurs over and over and the period of time required for each recurrence remains the sameverifiedMay 18, 2026
Periodic MovementnounMWEmotion that recurs over and over and the period of time required for each recurrence remains the sameverifiedMay 18, 2026