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Glossary · Nouns · P

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TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Precipitinnounan antibody that causes precipitation when it unites with its antigenverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precipitousnessnounthe quality of happening with headlong haste or without warningverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precisenessnounthe quality of being reproducible in amount or performanceverifiedMay 18, 2026
PrecisionnounCloseness of agreement between independent test results obtained under prescribed conditions. It is generally dependent on analyte concentration, and this dependence should be determined and documented. The measure of precision is usually expressed in terms of imprecision and computed as a standard deviation of the test results. Higher imprecision is reflected by a larger standard deviation. Independent test results means results obtained in a manner not influenced by any previous results on the same or similar material. Precision covers repeatability and reproducibility [19]. Alternatively, precision is a measure for the reproducibility of measurements within a set, that is, of the scatter or dispersion of a set about its central value. Precision depends only on the distribution of random errors and does not relate to the true value or specified value.MetricMay 18, 2026
Precision CookienounMWEa cookie that is saved permanently on your hard driveverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precision RiflenounMWEan extremely powerful rifle developed for the militaryverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preclinical PhasenounMWEa laboratory test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on animal subjectsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preclinical TestnounMWEa laboratory test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on animal subjectsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preclinical TrialnounMWEa laboratory test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on animal subjectsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preclusionnounthe act of preventing something by anticipating and disposing of it effectivelyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precocious DentitionnounMWEteething at an earlier age than expectedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precociousnessnounintelligence achieved far ahead of normal developmental schedulesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precocitynounintelligence achieved far ahead of normal developmental schedulesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precognitionnounknowledge of an event before it occursverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preconceived IdeanounMWEan opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidenceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preconceived NotionnounMWEan opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidenceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preconceived OpinionnounMWEan opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidenceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preconceptionnouna partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Precordiumnounthe external surface of the body overlying the heart and stomachverifiedMay 18, 2026
precursornounA sign that an attacker may be preparing to cause an incident. See Indicator.EventMay 9, 2026
Predationnounthe act of preying by a predator who kills and eats the preyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predatornounany animal that lives by preying on other animalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predatory AnimalnounMWEany animal that lives by preying on other animalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predecessornounsomething that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someoneverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predestinarianismnounthe belief or doctrine of predestinariansverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predestinationnounprevious determination as if by destiny or fateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predestinationistnounanyone who submits to the belief that they are powerless to change their destinyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predeterminationnounthe act of determining or ordaining in advance what is to take placeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predicamentnouna situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying oneverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predicate CalculusnounMWEa system of symbolic logic that represents individuals and predicates and quantification over individuals (as well as the relations between propositions)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Predicationnoun(logic) a declaration of something self-evidentverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predicatornounan expression that predicatesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predictabilitynounthe quality of being predictableverifiedMay 18, 2026
PredictionnounForecasting quantitative or qualitative outputs through function approximation, applied on input data or measurements.ArtifactMay 18, 2026
Prediction ResistancenounMWEPrediction resistance is provided relative to time T if there is assurance that an adversary who has knowledge of the internal state of the DRBG at some time prior to T would be unable to distinguish between observations of ideal random bitstrings and bitstrings output by the DRBG at or subsequent to time T. The complementary assurance is called Backtracking Resistance.ControlRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Predictive AnalysisnounMWEThe organization of analyses of structured and unstructured data for inference and correlation that provides a useful predictive capability to new circumstances or data.CapabilityMay 18, 2026
Predictive AnalyticsnounMWEInsights, reporting, and information answering the question, "What is likely to happen?" Predictive analytics support high confidence foretelling of future event(s).CapabilityMay 18, 2026
Predictornouna computer for controlling antiaircraft fire that computes the position of an aircraft at the instant of a shell's arrivalverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predictor VariablenounMWEa variable that can be used to predict the value of another variable (as in statistical regression)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Predilectionnouna predisposition in favor of somethingverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predisposing ConditionnounMWEA condition that exists within an organization, a mission/business process, enterprise architecture, or information system including its environment of operation, which contributes to (i.e., increases or decreases) the likelihood that one or more threat events, once initiated, will result in undesirable consequences or adverse impact to organizational operations and assets, individuals, other organizations, or the Nation.VulnerabilityMay 9, 2026
Predispositionnounan inclination beforehand to interpret statements in a particular wayverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prednisolonenouna glucocorticoid (trade names Pediapred or Prelone) used to treat inflammatory conditionsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prednisonenouna dehydrogenated analogue of cortisol (trade names Orasone or Deltasone or Liquid Pred or Meticorten)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Predominancenounthe quality of being more noticeable than anything elseverifiedMay 18, 2026
Predominationnounthe quality of being more noticeable than anything elseverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preeclampsianounabnormal state of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and fluid retention and albuminuriaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preemienounan infant that is born prior to 37 weeks of gestationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preeminencenounhigh status importance owing to marked superiorityverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preemployment Training ProgramnounMWEa training program to prepare you for employmentverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preemptionnounthe judicial principle asserting the supremacy of federal over state legislation on the same subjectverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preemptive BidnounMWEa high bid that is intended to prevent the opposing players from biddingverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preemptive RightnounMWEthe right granting to shareholders the first opportunity to buy a new issue of stockverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preemptornouna bidder in bridge who makes a preemptive bidverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preen GlandnounMWEoil-secreting gland situated at the base of the tail in most birdsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preexistencenounexisting in a former state or previous to something elseverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefabricationnounthe manufacture of sections of a building at the factory so they can be easily and rapidly assembled at the building siteverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefectnouna chief officer or chief magistrateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefecturenounthe district administered by a prefect (as in France or Japan or the Roman Empire)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Preferencenoungrant of favor or advantage to one over another (especially to a country or countries in matters of international trade, such as levying duties)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Preference SharesnounMWEstock whose holders are guaranteed priority in the payment of dividends but whose holders have no voting rightsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefermentnounthe act of making accusationsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preferred SharesnounMWEstock whose holders are guaranteed priority in the payment of dividends but whose holders have no voting rightsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preferred StocknounMWEstock whose holders are guaranteed priority in the payment of dividends but whose holders have no voting rightsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefigurationnounan example that prefigures or foreshadows what is to comeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefix NotationnounMWEa parenthesis-free notation for forming mathematical expressions in which each operator precedes its operandsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefixationnounformation of a word by means of a prefixverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preformationnouna theory (popular in the 18th century and now discredited) that an individual develops by simple enlargement of a tiny fully formed organism (a homunculus) that exists in the germ cellverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefrontal CortexnounMWEthe anterior part of the frontal lobeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefrontal LeucotomynounMWEsurgical interruption of nerve tracts to and from the frontal lobe of the brainverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefrontal LeukotomynounMWEsurgical interruption of nerve tracts to and from the frontal lobe of the brainverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefrontal LobenounMWEthe anterior part of the frontal lobeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prefrontal LobotomynounMWEsurgical interruption of nerve tracts to and from the frontal lobe of the brainverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pregnancynounthe state of being pregnantverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pregnancy TestnounMWEa physiological test to determine whether a woman is pregnantverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pregnanediolnouna compound found in women's urine during certain phases of the menstrual cycle and in the urine of pregnant womenverifiedMay 18, 2026
Pregnant ChadnounMWEa chad that has been punched or dimpled but all four corners are still attachedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prehensionnounthe act of gripping something firmly with the hands (or the tentacles)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Prehensornounthe anterior pair of legs of a centipede that are modified to seize prey and inject venom from the toxicognathsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prehistoric CulturenounMWEthe time during the development of human culture before the appearance of the written wordverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prehistorynounthe time during the development of human culture before the appearance of the written wordverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preindicationnounan event that is experienced as indicating important things to comeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preinvasive CancernounMWEa cluster of malignant cells that has not yet invaded the deeper epithelial tissue or spread to other parts of the bodyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prejudgementnouna judgment reached before the evidence is availableverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prejudgmentnouna judgment reached before the evidence is availableverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prelacynounthe office or station of a prelateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prelatenouna senior clergyman and dignitaryverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prelaturenounthe office or station of a prelateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Preliminary ExamnounMWEan examination taken by graduate students to determine their fitness to continueverifiedMay 18, 2026
preliminary examinationnounMWEAn examination taken by graduate students to determine their fitness to continue.ProcessMay 12, 2026
Preliminary ProspectusnounMWEa first draft of a prospectusverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prelimsnounwritten matter preceding the main text of a bookverifiedMay 18, 2026
Premature BabynounMWEan infant that is born prior to 37 weeks of gestationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Premature EjaculationnounMWEejaculation during the early stages of sexual excitement or soon after the insertion of the penis into the vaginaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Premature InfantnounMWEan infant that is born prior to 37 weeks of gestationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Premature LabornounMWElabor beginning prior to the 37th week of gestationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Premature LabournounMWElabor beginning prior to the 37th week of gestationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Premature Ventricular ContractionnounMWEirregularity of cardiac rhythmverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prematurenessnounthe state of being prematureverifiedMay 18, 2026
Prematuritynounthe state of being prematureverifiedMay 18, 2026