Etymology dictionary

pesterment (n.) — pharmacology (n.)

pesterment (n.)

"act of pestering; state of being pestered," 1590s, from pester + -ment.

pesticide (n.)

"substance for destroying pests, especially insects infesting gardens, homes, or crops," 1939, from English pest + Latinate -cide "killer."

mid-15c., pestiferus, "bringing plague, plague-bearing, pestilential," also in a weakened or figurative sense, "mischievous, malignant, pernicious, hurtful to morals or society," from of Latin pestiferus "that brings plague or destruction," variant of pestifer "bringing plague, destructive, noxious," from pestis "plague" (see pest) + ferre "carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children." Related: Pestiferously; pestiferousness.

pestilence (n.)

c. 1300, "any infectious or contagious disease, fatal epidemic," from Old French pestilence "plague, epidemic" (12c.) and directly from Latin pestilentia "a plague, an unwholesome atmosphere," noun of condition from pestilentem (nominative pestilens) "infected, unwholesome, noxious," from pestis "deadly disease, plague" (see pest).

Also in Middle English "wickedness, evil, sin, a vice, that which is morally pestilential."

pestilent (adj.)

late 14c., "contaminated with dangerous disease; deadly, poisonous," from Latin pestilentem (nominative pestilens) "infected, unhealthy," from pestilis "of the nature of a plague," from pestis "deadly contagious disease" (see pest (n.)). Transferred sense of "mischievous, pernicious, hurtful to health or morals" is from 1510s; weakened sense of "troublesome" is from 1590s. Related: Pestilently.

pestilential (adj.)

late 14c., pestilencial, "producing or tending to produce an infectious disease, characterized by the plague," from Medieval Latin pestilentialis, from Latin pestilentia "plague" (see pestilence). Weakened sense of "mischievous, pernicious" is from 1530s. Related: Pestilentially.

pestle (n.)

"club-shaped instrument used for pounding and breaking materials in a mortar," mid-14c. pestel, (as a surname late 13c.), from Old French pestel and directly from Latin pistillum (Medieval Latin pestellum) "pounder, pestle," related to pinsere "to pound," from PIE *pis-to-, suffixed form of root *peis- "to crush" (source also of Sanskrit pinasti "pounds, crushes," pistah "anything ground, meal," Greek ptissein "to winnow," Old Church Slavonic pišo, pichati "to push, thrust, strike," pišenica "wheat," Russian pseno "millet").

Also in old use "the leg of certain animals used for food" (14c.), hence pestle of a lark "a trifle, an unimportant matter" (1590s).

pesto (n.)

green, aromatic, olive oil-based pasta sauce, a Genoese specialty, 1937, from Italian pesto, contracted form of pestato, past participle of pestare "to pound, to crush," in reference to the crushed herbs and garlic in it, from Latin root of pestle.

pet (n.1)

"domesticated or tamed animal kept as a favorite," 1530s, originally in Scottish and northern England dialect (and exclusively so until mid-18c.), a word of unknown origin. Sense of "indulged or favorite child" (c. 1500) is recorded slightly earlier than that of "animal kept as a favorite" (1530s), but the latter may be the primary meaning. Probably associated with or influenced by petty.

In early use typically a lamb brought up by hand (compare cade); but the earliest surviving reference lists "Parroquets, monkeys, peacocks, swans, &c., &c." As a term of endearment by 1849. Teacher's pet as a derogatory term for a teacher's favorite pupil is attested by 1854, American English. Pet-shop "shop selling animals to be kept as pets" is from 1928.

pet (n.2)

"fit of peevishness, offense or ill-humor at feeling slighted," 1580s, in phrase take the pet "take offense." Perhaps from pet (n.1) on a similar notion to that in American English that gets my goat (for which see goat), but the underlying notion is obscure, and the form of the original expression makes this doubtful. Perhaps from the notion of "characteristic of an indulged or spoiled child," but OED notes that this word seems to have been originally a southern English term, while pet (n.1) was northern and Scottish. Perhaps influenced by unrelated petulant.

*pet-

Also petə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to rush, to fly."

It forms all or part of: accipiter; appetence; appetite; apterous; apteryx; archaeopteryx; asymptote; centripetal; Coleoptera; compete; competent; eurypterid; feather; helicopter; hippopotamus; Hymenoptera; impetigo; impetuous; impetus; iopterous; Lepidoptera; ornithopter; panache; panne; pen (n.1) "writing implement;" pennon; peripeteia; perpetual; perpetuity; petition; petulance; petulant; pin; pinion; pinnacle; pinnate; pinniped; potamo-; potamology; propitiation; propitious; ptero-; pterodactyl; ptomaine; ptosis; repeat; symptom.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit pattram "wing, feather, leaf," patara- "flying, fleeting;" Hittite pittar "wing;" Greek piptein "to fall," potamos "river, rushing water," pteron, pteryx "feather, wing," ptilon "soft feathers, down, plume;" Latin petere "to attack, assail; seek, strive after; ask for, beg; demand, require," penna "feather, wing;" Old Norse fjöðr, Old English feðer "feather;" Old Church Slavonic pero "feather;" Old Welsh eterin "bird."

petting (n.)

1873, "fondling, indulgence," verbal noun from pet (v.). Meaning "amorous caressing, foreplay" is from 1920 (in F. Scott Fitzgerald).

pet (adj.)

1580s, of an animal, "fondled and indulged," from pet (n.1). Of a thing, material or immaterial, "favored, favorite," by 1826.

pet (v.)

1620s, "treat as a pet," from pet (n.1). Sense of "to stroke" is first found 1818. Slang sense of "kiss and caress" is from 1920 (implied in petting). Related: Petted.

PETA

acronym for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; the group's website says it was founded in 1980.

petal (n.)

"one of the individual parts of a corolla of a flower," 1726 (earlier petala, 1704), from Modern Latin petalum "petal" (17c.), from Greek petalon "a leaf; leaf of metal, thin plate," noun use of neuter of adjective petalos "outspread, broad, flat," from PIE root *pete- "to spread." Related: Petaline.

petard (n.)

1590s, "engine of war consisting of a small, attachable bomb used to blow in doors and gates and breach walls," from French pétard (late 16c.), from French péter "break wind," from Old French pet "a fart," from Latin peditum, noun use of neuter past participle of pedere "to break wind," from PIE root *pezd- "to fart" (see feisty). Surviving in figurative phrase hoist with one's own petard (or some variant) "caught in one's own trap, involved in the danger one meant for others," literally "blown up with one's own bomb," which is ultimately from Shakespeare (1605):

For the verb, see hoist. The thing itself was rendered obsolete by the development of bombs; it seems to have had a reputation for backfiring. Related: Petardier.

petcock (n.)

also pet-cock, "a small plug-cock, made to be fastened to a pipe and used for draining water and condensation from steam cylinders, etc.," 1864, from cock (n.2); the signification of the first element is uncertain.

*pete-

*petə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to spread."

It forms all or part of: compass; El Paso; expand; expanse; expansion; expansive; fathom; pace (n.); paella; pan (n.); pandiculation; pas; pass; passe; passim; passacaglia; passage; passenger; passport; paten; patent; patina; petal; spandrel; spawn.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek petannynai "to spread out," petalon "a leaf," patane "plate, dish;" Old Norse faðmr "embrace, bosom," Old English fæðm "embrace, bosom, fathom," Old Saxon fathmos "the outstretched arms."

Pete

familiar form of masc. proper name Peter. For Pete's sake is attested from 1903 in a list of children's expressions published in Massachusetts, probably a euphemistic use of the disciple's name in place of Christ; as an exclamation or quasi-oath, Peter! was in use 14c., but this likely is not the source of the modern use.

petechia (n.)

plural petechiae, "small crimson or purple spots on skin," c. 1795 (from 1580s in English texts as an Italian word), Modern Latin, from Italian petecchia "specks or freckles on the face," in plural form petecchie "measles," a word of unknown origin. Related: Petechial.

Peter

masc. proper name, 12c., from Old English Petrus (genitive Pet(e)res, dative Pet(e)re), from Latin Petrus, from Greek Petros, literally "stone, rock" (see petrous), a translation of Syriac kefa "stone" (Latinized as Cephas), the nickname Jesus gave to apostle Simon Bar-Jona (Matthew xvi.17), historically known as St. Peter, and consequently a popular name among Christians (Italian Pietro, Spanish and Portuguese Pedro, Old French Pierres, French Pierre, etc.). As slang for "penis," attested from 1902, probably from identity of first syllable.

The common form of this very common name in medieval England was Peres (Anglo-French Piers), hence surnames Pierce, Pearson, etc. Among the diminutive forms were Parkin and Perkin.

To rob Peter to pay Paul (1510s, attested in slightly different wordings from late 14c.) might be a reference to the many churches dedicated to those two saints, and have sprung from the fairly common practice of building or enriching one church with the ruins or revenues of another. But the alliterative pairing of the two names is attested from c. 1400 with no obvious connection to the saints:

peter (v.)

"to diminish gradually and then cease," 1812, colloquial, of uncertain origin. To peter out "become exhausted," is 1846 as miners' slang. Related: Petered; petering.

Peter Pan (n.)

name of the boy-hero in J.M. Barrie's play "Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" (1904), first introduced in Barrie's "The Little White Bird" (1902). Used allusively for an immature adult man from 1914 (by G.B. Shaw, in reference to the Kaiser).

Peter Principle (n.)

1968, "in a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence," named for (and by) Laurence Johnston Peter (1919-1990) Canadian-born U.S. educationalist and author, who described it in his book of the same name (1969).

petiole (n.)

"footstalk of a leaf, the support by which the blade of a leaf is attached to the stem," 1753, from French pétiole (18c.), from Late Latin petiolus, a misspelling of peciolus "stalk, stem," literally "little foot," diminutive of pediculus "foot stalk," itself a diminutive of pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot." Given its modern sense by Linnaeus. Related: Petiolar; petiolate.

petit (adj.)

late 14c., "small, little; minor, trifling, insignificant," from Old French petit "small, little, young, few in numbers" (11c.), which is probably from the stem of Late Latin pitinnus "small," a word of uncertain origin; it corresponds to no known Latin form and perhaps is from a Celtic root pett- "part, piece, bit" also found in Italian pezza, English piece.

Attested as a surname from 1086. Replaced by petty in most usages, except in established forms such as petit bourgeois "conventional middle-class" (1832; used in English by Charlotte Brontë earlier than by Marx or Engels); petit mal ("mild form of epilepsy," 1842, literally "little evil"); petit-maître ("a fop, a dandy," 1711, literally "little master"); and petit four "small, fancy dessert cake" (1884), which in French means "little oven," from Old French four "oven," from Latin furnus. In Middle English a petiteskole (mid-15c.) was a school for young children.

petition (n.)

mid-14c., petiocioun, "a supplication or prayer," especially to a deity," from Anglo-French (early 14c.), from Old French peticion "request, petition" (12c., Modern French pétition) and directly from Latin petitionem (nominative petitio) "a blow, thrust, attack, aim; a seeking, searching," in law "a claim, suit," noun of action from past-participle stem of petere "to make for, go to; attack, assail; seek, strive after; ask for, beg, beseech, request; fetch; derive; demand, require," from PIE root *pet- "to rush; to fly."

Meaning "formal written request to a superior (earthly)" is attested from early 15c. In law, "a written application for an order of the court" (1737).

petite (adj.)

"little, of small size," usually of a woman or girl, 1784 (from 1712 in French phrases taken into English), from French petite, fem. of petit "little" (see petit). As a size in women's clothing, attested from 1929.

petition (v.)

"make a request to," c. 1600, from petition (n.) or from or inspired by French pétittioner, from the noun in French. Related: Petitioned; petitioning.

petit fours

see petit.

petitioner (n.)

early 15c., peticioner, "presenter of a formal petition, a supplicant for a favor," from petition (n.).

petitio principii

Latin, from petitio "petition" (see petition (n.)) + genitive of principium (see principle (n.)). It translates Greek to en arkhē aiteisthai "an assumption at the outset."

pet peeve (n.)

"thing that provokes one most," by 1917, from pet (n.1) in the adjectival sense "especially cherished thing" (1826), here in jocular or ironic use with peeve (n.) and perhaps a suggestion of pet (n.2).

Petrarchan (adj.)

"of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the poetry of Petrarch," 1827 (Keats uses Petrarchal, 1818), from Francesco Petrarch (Italian Petrarca) the poet (1304-1374).

petrel (n.)

small black and white seabird, 1670s, pitteral, modern spelling first recorded 1703 by English explorer William Dampier (1651-1715), who wrote that the bird was so called from its way of flying with its feet just skimming the surface of the water, which recalls the apostle's walk on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew xiv.28); if so, it likely was formed in English as a diminutive of Peter (Late Latin Petrus). If this is folk etymology, the true source of the name is undiscovered. French pétrel (1760) probably is from English.

Petri dish (n.)

1892, named for German bacteriologist Julius Petri (1852-1922), who first devised it c. 1887.

petrification (n.)

"action or process of hardening, conversion into stone," 1610s, from French petrification (16c.), Latinized noun of action from pétrifier (see petrify). Etymologically better than the more common petrifaction.

petrifaction (n.)

early 15c., petrifaccioun, "action or process of hardening, a turning to stone," from petrified on model of satisfaction, etc., or from Medieval Latin petrificacionis. From 1680s as "something petrified;" figurative sense is by 1722.

petrified (adj.)

early 15c., of swellings, inflammations, etc., "hardened;" by 1660s as "turned to stone," from a French or Medieval Latin source (see petrify). Figurative meaning "paralyzed (with fright, etc.)" is from 1720.

petrify (v.)

1590s, "convert into stone or stony substance," from French pétrifier "to make or become stone" (16c.), from Latin petra "rock, crag" (see petrous) + -ficare, combining form of facere "to make, do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Intransitive sense of "to become stone" is from 1640s. Metaphoric sense of "paralyze with fear or shock" is attested by 1771. Related: Petrified; petrifying.

petro- (1)

before vowels petr-, word-forming element used from 19c., indicating "rock, stone" (in anatomy it refers to the petrous parts of certain bones), from Greek petros "stone, boulder," petra "rock, rocky mountain range, cliff" (see petrous).

petro- (2)

word-forming element used from mid-20c. to mean "of or having to do with petroleum products," from petroleum.

petrochemical (n.)

"chemical compound or element obtained from petroleum or natural gas," 1942, from petro- (2) + chemical (n.).

petrochemical (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the chemistry of the formation and composition of rocks," 1913, from petro- (1) "rock" + chemical (adj.).

petrodollar (n.)

"surplus of petroleum exports over imports of all other goods," as a notational unit of currency (in reference to OPEC nations), 1974, formed in English from petro- (2) + dollar.

petroglyph (n.)

"carving on or in stone, a rock-carving," usually a prehistoric one, 1854, from French pétroglyphe, from Greek petra "rock" (which is of unknown origin) + glyphē "carving" (from PIE root *gleubh- "to tear apart, cleave"). An earlier word was petrograph (1810). Related: Petroglyphic.

petrol (n.)

"gasoline, refined petroleum used in motor-cars," 1895, from French pétrol (1892); earlier used (1580s) in reference to the unrefined substance, from petrole "petroleum" (13c.), from Medieval Latin petroleum (see petroleum).

petroleum (n.)

early 15c., "petroleum, rock oil, oily inflammable substance occurring naturally in certain rock beds" (mid-14c. in Anglo-French), from Medieval Latin petroleum, from Latin petra "rock" (see petrous) + oleum "oil" (see oil (n.)). Commercial production and refinement of it began in 1859 in western Pennsylvania, and for most of the late 19th century it was produced commercially almost entirely in Pennsylvania and western New York.

petroleur (n.)

"an incendiary," especially one of the adherents of the Commune who used petroleum to set fire to the public buildings of Paris upon the entry of the national troops, 1871, from French pétroleur, from petrole (see petrol). The fem. form is pétroleuse.

petrology (n.)

"the study of rocks and their mineralogical composition," 1811 (erroneously as petralogy), from petro- (1) "rock" + -logy. Related: Petrological; petrologist.

Petronilla

also Petronella, fem. proper name, a Medieval Latin feminine diminutive of Latin Petronius (which is of uncertain origin). Also "the name of a saint much-invoked against fevers and regarded as a daughter of St. Peter. The name was accordingly regarded to be a derivative of Peter and became one of the most popular of girls' names, the vernacular Parnell being still used as a proper name as late as the 18th century in Cornwall" [Reaney]. The shorter form is via Old French Peronelle. By late 14c. it also had become a type-name for "a common woman, a prostitute, a priest's concubine."

petrous (adj.)

c. 1400, in anatomy, "very hard, dense," from Old French petros (Modern French petreux) and directly from Latin petrosus "stony," from petra "rock," from Greek petra "rock, cliff, ledge, shelf of rock, rocky ridge," a word of unknown etymology (Beekes says it is "probably Pre-Greek"). Used of certain bones, especially of parts of the temporal bone.

petty (adj.)

late 14c., peti, "small, little, minor," from a phonemic spelling of Old French petit "small" (see petit). From late 12c. in surnames. In English, not originally disparaging (as still in petty cash "small sums of money received or paid," 1834; petty officer "minor or inferior military officer," 1570s).

Meaning "of small or minor importance, not serious" is recorded from 1520s; that of "small-minded" is from 1580s. Related: Pettily; pettiness.

petticoat (n.)

early 15c., petycote, "men's short, tight-fitting coat," literally "a small coat," from petty + coat (n.). Originally a padded coat worn by men under armor, applied mid-15c. to a garment worn by women and young children. By 1590s, the typical feminine garment, hence a symbol of female sex or character and, colloquially, "a woman," as in petticoat government "rule or predominance of women in a home" (1702).

pettifogging

1570s as a verbal noun, "the practice of pettifoggery;" c. 1600 as a present-participle adjective, "petty, mean, paltry, characteristic of a pettifogger;" see pettifogger. A verb pettifog is rare and attested only from 1610s; De Quincey has pettifogulize "to use petty and contemptible means."

pettifogger (n.)

"inferior or petty attorney employed in small or mean business," or, as Henley has it, "An attorney of the baser sort: a sharking lawyer," 1560s, often treated as two words or hyphenated. The first is petty; the second element is probably provincial fogger "a huckster; a cheat, one who engages in mean or disreputable practices," which is perhaps from obsolete Dutch focker, from Flemish focken "to cheat," or from Middle English fugger; both words seem to be from Fugger the name of the renowned family of merchants and financiers of 15c.-16c. Augsburg. In German, Flemish and Dutch, the surname became a word for "monopolist, rich man, usurer."

However, OED also calls attention to pettifactor "legal agent who undertakes small cases" (1580s), which, though attested slightly later, might be the source of this. Related: Pettifoggery.

pettish (adj.)

1550s, "impetuous," evidently from pet (n.2) in its "proceeding from or pertaining to ill humor" sense, + -ish. Meaning "peevish, easily annoyed" is from 1590s.

Related: Pettishly; pettishness.

pettitoes (n.)

1550s, "the toes or feet of a pig," especially as an article of food," from petit + toes. Sometimes in jocular use, "the human foot."

petulant (adj.)

1590s, "immodest, wanton, saucy," from French petulant (mid-14c.), from Latin petulantem (nominative petulans) "wanton, froward, saucy, insolent," present participle of petere "to attack, assail; strive after; ask for, beg, beseech" (from PIE root *pet- "to rush, to fly"). Meaning "irritable, manifesting peevish impatience" is by 1775, probably by influence of pet (n.2). Related: Petulantly.

petulance (n.)

c. 1600, "insolence, immodesty, rudeness," from French pétulance (early 16c.), from Latin petulantia "sauciness, impudence," abstract noun from petulantem (see petulant). Meaning "peevishness" is recorded by 1784, from influence of pettish, etc. It displaced earlier petulancy (1550s in the first sense, 1712 in the second).

petunia (n.)

genus of ornamental plants native to South America and Mexico, 1825, from Modern Latin Petunia (1789), from French petun (16c.), an obsolete word for "tobacco plant" (in Century Dictionary, 1890, "said to be still in use in some parts of Canada"), from Portuguese petum, evidently from Guarani (Paraguay) pety. The petunia has a botanical affinity to the tobacco plant. See tobacco.

*peuk-

also *peug-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to prick."

It forms all or part of: appoint; appointment; bung; compunction; contrapuntal; expugn; expunge; impugn; interpunction; oppugn; pink; poignant; point; pointe; pointillism; poniard; pounce; pugilism; pugilist; pugnacious; pugnacity; punch (n.1) "pointed tool for making holes or embossing;" punch (n.3) "a quick blow with the fist;" punch (v.) "to hit with the fist;" puncheon (n.2) "pointed tool for punching or piercing;" punctilio; punctilious; punctual; punctuate; punctuation; puncture; pungent; punty; Pygmy; repugn; repugnance; repugnant.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek pyx "with clenched fist," pygme "fist, boxing," pyktes "boxer;" Latin pugnare "to fight," especially with the fists, pungere "to pierce, prick."

pew (n.)

late 14c., peue, "raised, bench-like seat for certain worshipers" (ladies, important men, etc.), frequently enclosed, from Old French puie, puy "balcony, elevated place or seat; elevation, hill, mound," from Latin podia, plural of podium "elevated place," also "front balcony in a Roman theater" (where distinguished persons sat; see podium). Meaning "fixed bench with a back, for a number of worshipers" is attested from 1630s. Related: Pewholder; pew-rent.

pewee (n.)

"flycatcher, lapwing," 1810, variant of pewit (q.v.). See also peewee.

pewter (n.)

early 14c., peutre, "any of various alloys having tin as their main constituent" (the usual ratio is one part lead to four parts tin), used to make tableware, beer pots, and church vessels, from Old French peautre (12c.) and Medieval Latin peutrum, from Vulgar Latin *peltrum "pewter" (source of Spanish peltre, Italian peltro), a word of uncertain origin. From mid-15c. as "tableware of pewter;" by late 14c. as an adjective. Related: Pewterer.

peyote (n.)

"mescal cactus," 1849, in reference to the mescal made from it, from Mexican Spanish peyote, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) peyotl, said to mean "caterpillar;" the cactus so called from the downy button on top.

Pez

Austrian candy product, in U.S. use by 1956, said to be from letters in German Pfefferminz "peppermint."

ph

consonantal digraph now in English usually representing the sound of -f-, originally it was the combination used by Romans to represent Greek letter phi (cognate with Sanskrit -bh-, Germanic -b-), which at first was an aspirated "p," later probably the same sound as German -pf-. But by 2c. B.C.E. had become a simple sound made by blowing through the lips (bilabial spirant).

Roman "f," like modern English "f," was dentilabial; by c. 400, however, the sounds had become identical and in some Romanic languages (Italian, Spanish), -ph- regularly was replaced by -f-. This tendency took hold in Old French and Middle English, but with the revival of classical learning the older words subsequently were altered back to -ph- (except fancy and fantastic), and due to overcorrection in this some non-Greek words in -f- began to appear confusedly in -ph-, though these forms generally have not survived (nephew is an exception). The modern slang fad for replacing f- with ph- (as in phat) seems to date to the 1960s and phone phreak (see phreak), where it might have been suggested by the spelling of (tele)phone.

phaeton (n.)

type of light, high, open four-wheeled carriage, with seats for four or two, made in many varieties, 1742, from French (1735), from Greek Phaethō+n name of the son of Helios and Clymene, who obtained leave to drive his father's sun-chariot but being unable to control the horses was struck by Zeus with a thunderbolt and slain after nearly setting fire to the whole earth. His name is literally "shining," from phaein "to shine, gleam," from phaos "light" (from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine"). Earlier as a name for a reckless driver (1590s).

phage (n.)

virus that destroys bacteria, 1917, an abbreviated form of bacteriophage.

-phage

word-forming element meaning "eater," from stem of Greek phagein "to eat," from PIE root *bhag- "to share out, apportion; to get a share."

phago-

word-forming element meaning "eating," from Greek phago- "eating, devouring," from PIE root *bhag- "to share out, apportion; to get a share." As in Phagiphany, the name of the Church festival celebrating the miracle of the fishes and loaves.

phagocyte (n.)

"white blood cell," regarded as an organism capable of devouring what it meets, 1884, from German phagocyten (plural), coined in German in 1884 by Dr. Elias Metchnikoff (1845-1916) from Greek phago- "eating, devouring" (from PIE root *bhag- "to share out, apportion; to get a share") + -cyte "cell." Related: Phagocytic.

phagocytosis (n.)

"destruction of microbes by phagocytes," 1891, from phagocyte + -osis.

-phagous

word-forming element meaning "eating, feeding on," from Latin -phagus, from Greek -phagos "eater of," from phagein "to eat," literally "to have a share of food," from PIE root *bhag- "to share out, apportion; to get a share."

phalange (n.)

mid-15c., "phalanx, ancient military division," from Old French phalange "phalanx" (13c.) and directly from Latin phalangem (nominative phalanx); see phalanx. It is the earlier form of that word in English. Related: Phalangeal; phalangic.

phalanstery (n.)

1846 (in French form from 1844), "building or buildings occupied by a community living together and having goods and property in common," from French phalanstère, the name for one of the socialistic communities of 1,800 or so people, living together as family, proposed as the basic unit of society in the system of French social scientist François-Marie-Charles Fourier (1772-1837), coined by Fourier from phalange, properly "phalanx" (see phalanx) + ending after monastère "monastery." Transferred use, in reference to the groups themselves, is by 1850. Related: Phalansterial; phalansterian.

phalanx (n.)

1550s, "line of battle in close ranks," from Latin phalanx "compact body of heavily armed men in battle array," or directly from Greek phalanx (genitive phalangos) "line of battle, battle array," also "finger or toe bone," originally "round piece of wood, trunk, log," a word of unknown origin. Perhaps from PIE root *bhelg- "plank, beam" (source of Old English balca "balk;" see balk (n.)).

In anatomy, originally the whole row of finger joints, which fit together like infantry in close order. Figurative sense of "number of persons banded together in a common cause" is attested from 1600 (compare Spanish Falangist, member of a fascist organization founded in 1933).

phallic (adj.)

"pertaining to the phallus or the generative principle in nature," 1789, from Greek phallikos, from phallos (see phallus). First record of phallic symbol is from 1809.

phallocentric (adj.)

"centered on the phallus," 1927, in psychoanalysis, from combining form of phallus + -centric.

phallus (n.)

1610s, "an image of the penis," from Latin phallus, from Greek phallos "penis," also "carving or image of an erect penis (symbolizing the generative power in nature) used in the cult of Dionysus," from PIE *bhel-no-, from root *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell" (source also of Old Norse boli "bull," Old English bulluc "little bull," and possibly Greek phalle "whale"). Used of the penis itself (especially if erect, but often in symbolic context) by 1891 (Hargrave Jennings).

-phane

word-forming element meaning "having the appearance of," from Greek -phanes, from phainein "bring to light, cause to appear, show," phainesthai "to appear" (from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine").

phanero-

before vowels phaner-, word-forming element of Greek origin meaning "visible, manifest," especially from 18c. in biology, from Greek phaneros "visible, manifest, evident, apparent," from phainein "bring to light, cause to appear, show" (from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine"). Opposed to crypto-.

Phanerozoic (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the whole of geological time since the beginning of the Cambrian," so called from the abundant evidence of life preserved in the rocks, 1930; see phanero- "visible, manifest" + zoic "pertaining to life."

phanopoeia (n.)

1929, Pound's term for "a casting of images upon the visual imagination" in literature, from Greek phanai "to show, make visible, bring to light" (from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine") + poiein "to make, create" (see poet).

phantasm (n.)

mid-13c., fantesme, "that which has only seeming reality, permanence, or value;" c. 1300 as "an illusory experience or object; an apparition;" from Old French fantosme "a dream, illusion, fantasy; apparition, ghost, phantom" (12c.), and directly from Latin phantasma "an apparition, specter," in Late Latin also "appearance, image," from Greek phantasma "image, phantom, apparition; mere image, unreality," from phantazein "to make visible, display," from stem of phainein "to bring to light, make appear; come to light, be seen, appear; explain, expound, inform against; appear to be so," from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine." Spelling conformed to Latin from 16c. (see ph). A spelling variant of phantom, "differentiated, but so that the differences are elusive" [Fowler].

phantasmal (adj.)

"of the nature of a phantasm or illusion; unreal, spectral," 1805, from phantasm + -al (1). Earlier was phantasmatical (1640s). Related: Phantasmally.

phantasma (n.)

"a phantasm, an illusion, an apparition," 1590s, from Latin phantasma (see phantasm).

phantasmagoria (n.)

"fantastic series or medley of illusive or terrifying figures or images," 1802, the name of a magic lantern exhibition brought to London in 1802 by Parisian showman Paul de Philipstal. The name is an alteration of French phantasmagorie, which is said to have been coined 1801 by French dramatist Louis-Sébastien Mercier as though to mean "crowd of phantoms," from Greek phantasma "image, phantom, apparition" (from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine").

The second element appears to be a French form of Greek agora "assembly. "But the inventor of the word prob. only wanted a mouth-filling and startling term, and may have fixed on -agoria without any reference to the Greek lexicon" [OED]. The transferred meaning "shifting scene of many elements" is attested from 1822. Related: Phantasmagorical.

phantom (n.)

c. 1300, fantum, famtome, "illusion, unreality; an illusion," senses now obsolete, from Old French fantosme (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *fantauma, from Latin phantasma "an apparition," from Greek phantasma "image, phantom, apparition; mere image, unreality," from phantazein "to make visible, display," from stem of phainein "to bring to light, make appear," from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine." The ph- was restored in English late 16c. (see ph).

Meaning "a specter, spirit, ghost" is attested from late 14c.; that of "something having the form, but not the substance, of a real thing" is from 1707. As an adjective from early 15c. (Coleridge used phantomatic for "phantom-like, unreal"). Phantom limb "sensation of the presence of an amputated arm or leg" is attested by 1871.

Pharaoh (n.)

title of the kings of ancient Egypt, often treated as a personal name, Old English Pharon, from Latin Pharaonem, from Greek Pharaō, from Hebrew Par'oh, from Egyptian Pero', literally "great house." Related: Pharaonic.

pharisaic (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the Pharisees," hence "of or pertaining to observance of the external forms and ceremonies of religion without regard to its spirit or essence," 1610s, from Church Latin pharisaicus, from Greek pharisaikos, from pharisaios (see Pharisee). Related: Pharisaical (1530s).

Pharisee (n.)

"member of an ancient Jewish sect (2c. B.C.E.-1c. C.E.) distinguished by strict observance but regarded as pretentious and self-righteous," at least by Jesus (Matthew xxiii.27), c. 1200, Pharise, from Old English Fariseos, Old French pharise (13c.), and directly from Late Latin Pharisæus, from Greek Pharisaios, from Aramaic (Semitic) perishayya, emphatic plural of perish "separated, separatist," corresponding to Hebrew parush, from parash "he separated." Extended meaning "any self-righteous person, formalist, hypocrite, scrupulous or ostentatious observer of the outward forms of religion without regard to its inward spirit" is attested from 1580s.

pharmaceutical (adj.)

"pertaining to pharmacy or the art of preparing drugs," 1640s (pharmaceutic in the same sense is from 1540s), from Late Latin pharmaceuticus "of drugs," from Greek pharmakeutikos, from pharmakeus "preparer of drugs, poisoner" (see pharmacy). Pharmaceuticals "medicinal drugs" is attested by 1881. Related: Pharmaceutically.

pharmaceutics (n.)

"the art of preparing drugs," 1660s, from pharmaceutic (see pharmaceutical); also see -ics.

pharmacy (n.)

late 14c., farmacie, "a medicine that rids the body of an excess of humors (except blood);" also "treatment with medicine; theory of treatment with medicine," from Old French farmacie "a purgative" (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin pharmacia, from Greek pharmakeia "a healing or harmful medicine, a healing or poisonous herb; a drug, poisonous potion; magic (potion), dye, raw material for physical or chemical processing."

This is from pharmakeus (fem. pharmakis) "a preparer of drugs, a poisoner, a sorcerer" from pharmakon "a drug, a poison, philter, charm, spell, enchantment." Beekes writes that the original meaning cannot be clearly established, and "The word is clearly Pre-Greek." The ph- was restored 16c. in French, 17c. in English (see ph).

Buck ["Selected Indo-European Synonyms"] notes that "Words for 'poison', apart from an inherited group, are in some cases the same as those for 'drug' ...." In addition to the Greek word he has Latin venenum "poison," earlier "drug, medical potion" (source of Spanish veneno, French venin, English venom), and Old English lybb.

Meaning "the use or administration of drugs" is from c. 1400; the sense of "art or practice of preparing, preserving, and compounding medicines and dispensing them according to prescriptions" is from 1650s; that of "place where drugs are prepared and dispensed" is recorded by 1833.

pharmacist (n.)

"a druggist, apothecary, one skilled in pharmacy," 1811; see pharmacy + -ist. Replaced obsolete pharmacian (1720). Pharmaceutist in this sense is attested from 1785. The Latin word was pharmacopola, the Greek pharmakopoles.

pharmaco-

word-forming element meaning "drug, medicine," also "poison," from Latinized form of Greek pharmakon "drug, poison" (see pharmacy).

pharmacokinetics (n.)

"the branch of pharmacology concerned with the movement of drugs within the body," 1960, from pharmaco- + kinetic. Related: Pharmacokinetic; pharmacokinetically.

pharmacology (n.)

"the sum of scientific knowledge concerning drugs," 1721, formed in Modern Latin (1680s) from pharmaco- (see pharmacy) + -logy. It includes pharmacy (the art of preparing drugs) and also pharmacodynamics (what is known concerning their action). Related: Pharmacological.