Etymology dictionary
pejorative (adj.) — pentacle (n.)
pejorative (adj.)
"depreciative, disparaging, giving a low or bad sense to," 1888, from French péjoratif, from Late Latin peiorat-, past-participle stem of peiorare "make worse," from Latin peior "worse," perhaps (Watkins) originally "stumbling," from PIE *ped-yos-, suffixed (comparative) form of *ped- "to walk, stumble, impair," from root *ped- "foot."
As a noun, "a word that depreciates the sense," from 1882. English had a verb pejorate "to worsen" from 1640s.
Peking
former transliteration of the name of the Chinese capital city, now (in the pinyin system) called Beijing. In the Wade-Giles system it was Peiping; the form Peking pre-dates Wade-Giles and was formed by the old British-run, Hong Kong-based Chinese postal system. Peking duck, "large domestic duck of white plumage and orange beak and legs," is attested from 1880.
Pekingese
"small long-haired dog of the pug type," 1902, so called because originally brought from the Imperial Palace at Peking, China. Also Pekinese.
*pekw-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cook, ripen."
It forms all or part of: apricot; biscuit; charcuterie; concoct; concoction; cook; cuisine; culinary; decoct; decoction; drupe; dyspepsia; dyspeptic; eupeptic; kiln; kitchen; peptic; peptide; peptone; precocious; pumpkin; ricotta; terra-cotta.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit pakvah "cooked, ripe;" Avestan -paka- "cooked;" Greek peptein "to cook, ripen, digest," pepon "ripe;" Latin coquere "to cook, prepare food, ripen, digest, turn over in the mind," Oscan popina "kitchen;" Lithuanian kepti "to bake, roast;" Old Church Slavonic pecenu "roasted;" Welsh poeth "cooked, baked, hot."
*pel- (1)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "pale."
It forms all or part of: appall; falcon; fallow (adj.) "pale yellow, brownish yellow;" Fauvist; Lloyd; pale (adj.); pallid; pallor; palomino; Peloponnesus; polio; poliomyelitis.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit palitah "gray," panduh "whitish, pale;" Greek pelios "livid, dark;" polios "gray" (of hair, wolves, waves); Latin pallere "to be pale," pallidus "pale, pallid, wan, colorless;" Old Church Slavonic plavu, Lithuanian palvas "sallow;" Welsh llwyd "gray;" Old English fealo, fealu "dull-colored, yellow, brown." It also forms the root of words for "pigeon" in Greek (peleia), Latin (palumbes), and Old Prussian (poalis).
*pel- (2)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to fold."
It forms all or part of: aneuploidy; decuple; fold (v.); -fold; furbelow; haplo-; hundredfold; manifold; multiple; octuple; polyploidy; -plus; quadruple; quintuple; sextuple; triple.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit putah "fold, pocket;" Albanian pale "fold;" Middle Irish alt "a joint;" Lithuanian pelti "to plait;" Old English faldan "to fold, wrap up, furl."
*pel- (5)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to thrust, strike, drive."
It forms all or part of: anvil; appeal; catapult; compel; dispel; expel; felt (n.) "unwoven fabric matted together by rolling or beating;" filter; filtrate; impel; impulse; interpellation; interpolate; peal; pelt (v.) "to strike (with something);" polish; propel; pulsate; pulsation; pulse (n.1) "a throb, a beat;" push; rappel; repeal; repel; repousse.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek pallein "to wield, brandish, swing," pelemizein "to shake, cause to tremble;" Latin pellere "to push, drive;" Old Church Slavonic plŭstĭ.
*pel- (4)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to sell."
It forms all or part of: bibliopole; monopolize; monopoly; oligopolistic; oligopoly.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit panate "barters, purchases;" Lithuanian pelnas "gain;" Greek pōlein "to sell;" Old Church Slavonic splenu, Russian polon "prey, booty;" Old Norse falr, Dutch veil, German feil "for sale, venal."
*pel- (3)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "skin, hide."
It forms all or part of: erysipelas; fell (n.2) "skin or hide of an animal;" film; pell; pellagra; pellicle; pelt (n.) "skin of a fur-bearing animal;" pillion; surplice.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek pella, Latin pellis "skin;" Old English filmen "membrane, thin skin, foreskin."
pelagic (adj.)
"pertaining to the open sea, marine, oceanic" (as opposed to coastal), 1650s, from Latin pelagicus, from Greek pelagikos, from pelagos "sea, high sea, open sea, main." Beekes rejects the traditional derivation from PIE root *plak- (1) "to spread out, be flat" as without evidence and concludes instead that "the word rather seems to be Pre-Greek." In later use especially "living at or near the surface of the open ocean."
pelage (n.)
"coat, hair, or fur of a mammal," 1831, from French pelage "hair or wool of an animal" (16c.), from Old French pel "hair," from Latin pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)). Used in zoology as plumage is of birds. Middle English had pelure "fur, especially of a valuable kind," c. 1300, from Old French.
Pelagian (n.)
mid-15c., Pelagien, "adherent of the teaching of the heretic Pelagius;" also as an adjective; from Medieval Latin Pelagianus, from Pelagius, Latinized form of the name of the 4c. British monk who denied the doctrine of original sin. Combated by Augustine, condemned by Pope Zosimus in 418 C.E. His name in Welsh was said to have been Morgan, literally "sea-dweller" (hence his Church name, from Greek pelagos "sea;" see pelagic). Related: Pelagianism.
Pelasgian
late 15c., "of or pertaining to the Pelasgi," from Latin Pelasgius, from Greek Pelasgios "of the Pelasgi," from Pelasgoi "the Pelasgi," name of a prehistoric people of Greece and Asia Minor who occupied Greece and the Aegean islands before the Hellenes, probably originally *Pelag-skoi, literally "Sea-people" (see pelagic). Also Pelasgic.
*pele- (2)
*pelə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "flat; to spread."
It forms all or part of: airplane; dysplasia; ectoplasm; effleurage; esplanade; explain; explanation; feldspar; field; flaneur; floor; llano; palm (n.1) "flat of the hand;" palm (n.2) "tropical tree;" palmy; piano; pianoforte; plain; plan; planar; Planaria; plane (n.1) "flat surface;" plane (n.3) "tool for smoothing surfaces;" plane (v.2) "soar, glide on motionless wings;" planet; plani-; planisphere; plano-; -plasia; plasma; plasmid; plasm; -plasm; -plast; plaster; plastic; plastid; -plasty; Polack; Poland; Pole; polka; protoplasm; veldt.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek plassein "to mold," plasma "something molded or created;" Latin planus "flat, level, even, plain, clear;" Lithuanian plonas "thin;" Celtic *lanon "plain;" Old Church Slavonic polje "flat land, field," Russian polyi "open;" Old English feld, Middle Dutch veld "field."
*pele- (1)
*pelə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to fill," with derivatives referring to abundance and multitude.
It forms all or part of: accomplish; complete; compliment; comply; depletion; expletive; fele; fill; folk; full (adj.); gefilte fish; hoi polloi; implement; manipulation; nonplus; plebe; plebeian; plebiscite; pleiotropy; Pleistocene; plenary; plenitude; plenty; plenum; plenipotentiary; pleo-; pleonasm; plethora; Pliocene; pluperfect; plural; pluri-; plus; Pollux; poly-; polyamorous; polyandrous; polyclinic; polydactyl; polydipsia; Polydorus; polyethylene; polyglot; polygon; polygraph; polygyny; polyhedron; polyhistor; polymath; polymer; polymorphous; Polynesia; polyp; Polyphemus; polyphony; polysemy; polysyllabic; polytheism; replenish; replete; supply; surplus; volkslied.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit purvi "much," prayah "mostly;" Avestan perena-, Old Persian paru "much;" Greek polys "much, many," plethos "people, multitude, great number," ploutos "wealth;" Latin plus "more," plenus "full;" Lithuanian pilus "full, abundant;" Old Church Slavonic plunu; Gothic filu "much," Old Norse fjöl-, Old English fela, feola "much, many;" Old English folgian; Old Irish lan, Welsh llawn "full;" Old Irish il, Welsh elu "much."
pelf (n.)
late 14c., "stolen goods, forfeited property," from Anglo-French pelf, Old French pelfre "booty, spoils" (11c.), a word of unknown origin; also see pilfer. Meaning "money, property, riches," with a pejorative or contemptuous overtone, also is recorded from late 14c. It has no plural.
pelican (n.)
large, piscivorous, natatorial bird widespread in tropical and temperate regions, noted for its large, distensible gular pouch, Old English pellicane, from Late Latin pelecanus, from Greek pelekan "pelican" (so used by Aristotle), apparently related to pelekas "woodpecker" and pelekys "ax," perhaps so called from the shape of the bird's bill. Spelling influenced in Middle English by Old French pelican. Used in Septuagint to translate Hebrew qaath. The fancy that it feeds its young on its own blood (by c. 1200 in English) is an Egyptian tradition properly belonging to some other bird. Louisiana has been known as the Pelican state at least since 1856.
pell (n.)
"a roll of parchment," mid-15c., earlier in now-obsolete sense of "skin, hide" (mid-14c.), from Anglo-French pell, Old French pel "skin" (13c., Modern French peau), from Latin pellem, pellis "skin, leather, parchment, hide" (from PIE root *pel- (3) "skin, hide").
pellagra (n.)
chronic disease caused by dietary deficiency (formerly blamed on diseased grain) and characterized by dry, red skin, 1811, from Italian (1770s); according to Watkins, a hybrid formed from Latin pellis "skin" (from PIE root *pel- (3) "skin, hide") + Greek agra "a catching, seizure," related to agrein "to take, seize." But OED suggests it might be originally Italian pelle agra "rough skin." Related: Pellagrous.
pellet (v.)
"to form into little balls," 1590s, from pellet (n.).
pellet (n.)
mid-14c., pelot, "any little ball," as of a medicine or food, but especially a little metallic ball used as a missile, from Old French pelote "small ball" (11c.) and directly from Medieval Latin pelotis, from Vulgar Latin *pilotta, diminutive of Latin pila "ball, playing ball, the game of ball," perhaps originally "ball of hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)).
pellicle (n.)
"a membrane, a thin skin," c. 1400, pellicule, from Medieval Latin pellicula "small or thin skin," diminutive of Latin pellis "skin, leather, parchment, hide" (from PIE root *pel- (3) "skin, hide"). Related: Pellicular.
pell-mell (adv.)
"confusedly; in an impetuous rush; with indiscriminate violence, energy, or eagerness," 1570s, from French pêle-mêle, from Old French pesle mesle (12c.), apparently a jingling rhyme on the second element, which is from the stem of the verb mesler "to mix, mingle" (see meddle). The phonetic form pelly melly is attested in English from mid-15c.
pellucid (adj.)
"transparent, translucent, admitting the passage of light," 1610s, from Latin pellucidus "transparent," from pellucere "shine through," from per- "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + lucere "to shine" (from suffixed form of PIE root *leuk- "light, brightness"). Related: Pellucidly; pellucidity.
Peloponnesus (n.)
peninsula of southern Greece, from Latin, from Greek Peloponnēsos. The second element apparently is nēsos "island" (see Chersonese); the first element is said to be from Pelops, name of the son of Tantalus, who killed him and served him to the gods as food (they later restored him to life). The proper name is probably from pelios "gray, dark" (from PIE root *pel- (1) "pale") + ōps "face, eye" (from PIE root *okw- "to see"). But the association of the proper name with the peninsula name likely is folk etymology.
Related: Peloponnesian (late 15c. as a noun, "a native or inhabitant of the Peloponnesus"). The Peloponnesian War (1570s) was the great struggle for hegemony between Athens and her maritime empire and Sparta and her allies on the Peloponnesus, waged from 431 B.C.E. to 404 B.C.E.
peloton (n.)
1706, "small body of soldiers, platoon," from French peloton, derivative of pelote "ball, heap, platoon" (11c.); see platoon (n.).
pelt (v.)
"to strike repeatedly" (with something), c. 1500, a word of unknown origin; according to one old theory it is perhaps from early 13c. pelten "to strike," a variant of pilten "to thrust, strike," from an unrecorded Old English *pyltan, from Medieval Latin *pultiare, from Latin pultare "to beat, knock, strike," or [Watkins] pellere "to push, drive, strike" (from PIE root *pel- (5) "to thrust, strike, drive"). OED doubts this. Or it might be from Old French peloter "to strike with a ball," from pelote "ball" (see pellet (n.)) [Klein].
From 1680s as "to go on throwing (missiles) with intent to strike." The meaning "proceed rapidly and without intermission" (1831) is from the notion of beating the ground with rapid steps. Related: Pelted; pelting.
pelt (n.2)
"an act of pelting," 1510s, from pelt (v.). Of the beating of the rain by 1862.
pelt (n.1)
early 15c., "the skin of a fur-bearing animal with the hair on it," especially of the smaller animals used in furriery, a word of uncertain origin, perhaps a contraction of pelet (c. 1300 in Anglo-Latin), from Old French pelete "fine skin, membrane," diminutive of pel "skin," from Latin pellis "skin, hide" (from PIE root *pel- (3) "skin, hide"). Or perhaps the English word is a back-formation Anglo-French pelterie, Old French peletrie "fur skins," from Old French peletier "furrier," from pel. It was later used also of skins stripped of wool or fur (1560s).
pelvis (n.)
"basin-like cavity formed by the bones of the pelvic girdle," 1610s, from Modern Latin, from Latin pelvis "basin, laver," Old Latin peluis "basin," from PIE *pel- "container" (source also of Sanskrit palavi "vessel," Greek pelex "helmet," pelike "goblet, bowl," Old Norse and Old English full "cup").
pelvic (adj.)
"of or pertaining to the pelvis," 1822, irregularly formed from pelvis + -ic. OED prefers "the better-formed" French pelvien.
pemmican (n.)
kind of nutritious and durable foodstuff made by Native Americans, 1791, from Cree (Algonquian) /pimihka:n/ from /pimihke:w/ "he makes grease," from pimiy "grease, fat." Lean meat, dried, pounded and mixed with congealed fat and ground berries and formed into cakes eaten on long journeys. Also used figuratively for "extremely condensed thought or matter."
pen (n.1)
late 13c., penne, "writing implement made from the hard, hollow stem at the base of a feather," from Old French pene "quill pen; feather" (12c.) and directly from Latin penna "a feather, plume," in plural "a wing," in Late Latin, "a pen for writing," from Old Latin petna, pesna, from PIE *pet-na-, suffixed form of root *pet- "to rush; to fly."
In later French, this word means only "long feather of a bird," while the equivalent of English plume is used for "writing implement;" the senses of the two words in French thus are reversed from the situation in English.
In Middle English also "a feather," especially a large one from the wing or tail. The sense was extended to any instrument of similar form used for writing by means of fluid ink. Pen-and-ink (adj.) "made or done with a pen and ink" is attested from 1670s. Pen name "fictitious name assumed by an author" is by 1857 (French nom de plume was used in English from 1823). Southey uses pen-gossip (v.) "to gossip by correspondence" (1818).
pen (v.1)
"to write, compose and commit to paper," late 15c., from pen (n.1). Related: Penned; penning.
pen (n.3)
slang, "prison," 1884, shortening of penitentiary; earlier use (1845) probably is a figurative extension of pen (n.2) "enclosure for animals."
pen (n.2)
"small enclosure for domestic animals," Old English penn, penne, a word of uncertain origin, perhaps related to Old English pinn "pin, peg" (see pin (n.)) on the notion of a bolted gate or else "structure made of pointed stakes."
pen-
a Brythonic (Celtic) word for "head;" common in place names in Cornwall and Wales (such as Penzance; see also pendragon and Pennsylvania).
pen (v.2)
"to confine or enclose in a pen," c. 1200, pennen, from Old English *pennian (only in compounds), from the source of pen (n.2). Related: Penned; penning.
penal (adj.)
"of or pertaining to punishment by law," mid-15c., from Old French peinal (12c., Modern French pénal) and directly from Medieval Latin penalis, from Latin poenalis "pertaining to punishment," from poena "punishment," from Greek poinē "blood-money, fine, penalty, punishment," from PIE *kwoina, from root *kwei- "to pay, atone, compensate" (source also of Greek timē "price, worth, honor, esteem, respect," tinein "to pay a price, punish, take vengeance;" Sanskrit cinoti "observes, notes;" Avestan kaena "punishment, vengeance;" Old Church Slavonic cena "honor, price;" Lithuanian kaina "value, price").
penalize (v.)
1868, in sports, "to disadvantage one competitor for a breach of the rules," from penal + -ize. The meaning "to make or declare (an action) legally punishable" is by 1879. Related: Penalized; penalizing; penalization.
penalise (v.)
chiefly British English spelling of penalize; for suffix, see -ize. Related: Penalised; penalising.
penalty (n.)
c. 1500, "punishment," from Old French penalite and directly from Medieval Latin penalitatem (nominative penalitas), from Latin poenalis "pertaining to punishment" (see penal). Specifically as "the punishment laid out by law or judicial decision for a violation of the law" is by 1510s (also later for non-fulfillment or violation of an obligation or agreement). The sporting sense of "disadvantage imposed on a competitor for a breach of the rules" is by 1885; the ice hockey penalty box is attested by 1931.
penance (n.)
c. 1300, penaunce, "religious discipline or self-mortification as a token of repentance and as atonement for some sin; sorrow for sin shown by outward acts under authority and regulation of the Church," from Anglo-French penaunce, Old French peneance (12c.), from Latin pænitentia "repentance," noun of condition from pænitentum (nominative pænitens) "penitent," present participle of pænitere "cause or feel regret," probably originally "is not enough, is unsatisfactory," from pæne "nearly, almost, practically," which is of uncertain origin. Transferred sense of "repentance, contrition" is recorded from c. 1300. A popular Old French form, later ousted by the clerical pénitence, which preserves more of the Latin word.
Penates (n.)
Roman household gods (often paired with the Lares), 1510s, from Latin Penates "gods of the inside of the house," related to penatus "sanctuary of a temple" (especially that of Vesta), cognate with penitus "within" (see penetrate). They presided over families and were worshipped in the interior of every dwelling.
pence (n.)
late 14c., a contraction of penies, collective plural of penny. Spelling with -ce reflects the voiceless pronunciation (compare dice (n.), deuce, hence). After the introduction of decimal currency in Britain in 1971, it began to be used in singular (one pence).
penchant (n.)
"strong inclination," 1670s, from French penchant, noun use of present participle of Old French pencher "to incline," from Vulgar Latin *pendicare, a frequentative formed from Latin pendere "to hang, cause to hang" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin").
pencil (n.)
mid-14c., pencel, "an artist's small, fine brush of camel hair," used for painting, manuscript illustration, etc., from Old French pincel "artist's paintbrush" (13c., Modern French pinceau) and directly from Medieval Latin pincellus, from Latin penicillus "painter's brush, hair-pencil," literally "little tail," diminutive of peniculus "brush," itself a diminutive of penis "tail" (see penis).
Small brushes formerly were used for writing before modern lead or chalk pencils. Sticks of pure graphite (commonly known as black lead) were used for marking things in England from the mid-16c., and the wooden enclosure for them was developed in the same century on the Continent. This seems to have been the time the word pencil was transferred from a type of brush to "graphite writing implement." The modern clay-graphite mix was developed early 19c., and pencils of this sort were mass-produced from mid-19c. Hymen L. Lipman of Philadelphia obtained a patent for the pencil with an attached eraser in 1858.
Derogatory slang pencil-pusher "office worker" is from 1881 (pen-driver, jocular for "clerk, writer," is from 1820); pencil neck "weak person" first recorded 1973. Pencil-sharpener as a mechanical device for putting the point on a lead pencil is by 1854.
pencil (v.)
c. 1500, pencellen, "apply (gold or silver) in manuscript illustration;" 1530s, "to mark or sketch with a pencil-brush," from pencil (n.). In reference to lead pencils from 1760s. Related: Penciled; penciling. To pencil (something) in in the figurative sense of "arrange tentatively" (on the notion of being erasable) is attested by 1942.
pend (v.)
c. 1500, "to depend, to hang," from French pendre, from Latin pendere "to hang, cause to hang" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin"). In some cases short for depend, but this often was 'pend, aware of its origin. Middle English also had penden "pertain (to), belong," short for append. For the figurative or extended sense "to hang as in a balance, await settlement," see pending.
pending (prep.)
1640s, "during, in the process of, for the time of the continuance of," a preposition formed on the model of French pendant "during," literally "hanging," present participle of pendere "to hang, cause to hang" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin").
The meaning is patterned on "not decided" as a secondary sense of Latin pendente (literally "hanging") in the legal phrase pendente lite "while the suit is pending, during the litigation" (with the ablative singular of lis "suit, quarrel"). The use of the present participle before nouns caused it to be regarded as a preposition. As an adjective from 1797.
pendant (n.)
early 14c., pendaunt, "loose, hanging part of anything," whether ornamental or useful, from Anglo-French pendaunt (c. 1300), Old French pendant (13c.), noun uses of the present-participle adjective from pendre "to hang," from Latin pendere "to hang," from PIE *(s)pend-, extended form of root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin." Meaning "dangling part of an earring" is attested from 1550s. Nautical sense of "long tapering flag" is recorded from late 15c. "In this sense presumably a corruption of pennon" [OED]. In 14c.-16c. also "the testicles." As an adjective, the same as pendent, which is now the usual spelling.
pendency (n.)
1630s, "state of being undecided or in continuance," from pendent + abstract noun suffix -cy. The more literal sense of "state of being suspended" (1770) is rare. Related: Pendence (1620s).
pendent (adj.)
"hanging, suspended," c. 1600 respelling of Middle English pendaunt "hanging, hanging down, overhanging" (late 14c., from Old French pendant "hanging;" see pendant) on the model of its Latin original, pendentem. Related: Pendently.
pendentive (n.)
in architecture, "one of the triangular segments of the lower part of a hemispherical dome left by the penetration of the dome by two semicircular vaults intersection at right angles" (oh, hell, just look at a picture), 1727, from French pendentif (mid-16c.), from Latin pendentem (nominative pendens) "hanging," present participle of pendere "to hang" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin").
pendragon (n.)
"Welsh warlord" (mainly known now via Arthurian romances as the title of Uther Pendragon), late 15c., title of a chief leader in war of ancient Britain or Wales, who were invested with dictatorial powers in times of great danger, from pen "head" (see pen-) + dragon, which figured on the standard of a cohort.
pen-driver (n.)
jocular or slighting term for a clerk or author, by 1820, from pen (n.1) + driver. Earlier was quill-driver (by 1760).
pendulous (adj.)
"hanging loosely or swinging freely from a fixed point above," c. 1600, from Latin pendulus "hanging down," figuratively "doubtful, uncertain, hesitating," from pendere "to hang" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin") + -ous. Related: Pendulously; pendulousness.
pendular (adj.)
"of or relating to a pendulum," 1734, from French pendulaire, from pendule, from pendre "to hang," from Latin pendere "to hang," from PIE *(s)pend-, extended form of root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin."
pendulum (n.)
"anything that hangs down from a point of attachment and is free to swing;" specifically, in mechanics, "a body so suspended from a fixed point as to move to and fro by the alternate action of gravity and its acquired energy of motion," 1660, from Modern Latin pendulum (1643), noun use of neuter of Latin adjective pendulus "hanging down," from pendere "to hang, cause to hang" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin"). The Modern Latin word is perhaps a Latinization of Italian pendolo.
Penelope
fem. proper name, name of the faithful wife in the "Odyssey," from Greek Pēnelopē, Pēnelopeia, which is perhaps related to pēne "thread on the bobbin," from pēnos "web," cognate with Latin pannus "cloth garment" (see pane (n.)). But Beekes suggests rather a connection with pēnelops "duck or wild goose with colored neck." Used in English as the type of the virtuous wife (1580) as it was in Latin.
penetration (n.)
early 15c., penetracioun, "a puncture, a penetrating wound," from Latin penetrationem (nominative penetratio) "a penetrating or piercing," noun of action from past-participle stem of penetrare "to put or get into, enter into" (see penetrate). From c. 1600 as "insight, discernment, shrewdness;" the sexual sense is attested from 1610s; meaning "act of penetrating or piercing" is from 1620s; in optics, by 1799.
penetrating (adj.)
1630s, "touching the feelings intensely," figurative present-participle adjective from penetrate (v.). It was used earlier in a literal sense (early 15c.). The sense of "acute, discerning, quick to discover or recognize" is from 1670s. An earlier adjective was penetrative (late 14c., penetratif), in reference to medicines, from Medieval Latin penetrativus. Related: Penetratingly.
penetrate (v.)
1520s, "to pierce into or through," from Latin penetratus, past participle of penetrare "to put or get into, enter into; cause to go into." This is related to penitus "within, inmost, interior," penetralis "penetrating; innermost;" penus "innermost part of a temple, store of food," penarius "used for storing food;" Penates "household gods."
All are from penus/penoris "food, provisions," from Proto-Italic *penos, from PIE *penos "food" (source also of Lithuanian penėti "to feed"). De Vann writes that "The semantic appurtenance to 'feed' is explained by Stüber as 'what one feeds with' ('food') > 'the place one feeds at' > 'interior, home'."
The figurative senses of "enter and affect deeply, influence, impress" and "gain intellectual or spiritual access" are from 1580s. Related: Penetrated; penetrating.
penetrable (adj.)
early 15c., "penetrating" (a sense now rare or obsolete), from Latin penetrabilis "penetrable, vulnerable," from penetrare (see penetrate). Meaning "capable of being entered or pierced by another body" is attested from 1530s; figurative use by 1590s. Related: Penetrability.
penetralia (n.)
"inmost parts or recesses of a building," especially a temple or shrine, 1660s, from Latin plural of penetral, from penetralis "interior," from the stem of penetrare "to put or get into, enter into" (see penetrate).
penguin (n.)
1570s, originally used of the great auk of Newfoundland (now extinct; the last two known birds were killed in 1844); the shift in meaning to the Antarctic swimming bird (which looks something like it, observed by Drake in Magellan's Straits in 1578) is from 1580s. The word itself is of unknown origin, though it often is asserted to be from Welsh pen "head" (see pen-) + gwyn "white" (see Gwendolyn). The great auk had a large white patch between its bill and eye. The French and Breton versions of the word ultimately are from English. A similarity to Latin pinguis "fat (adj.), juicy," figuratively "dull, gross, heavy," has been noted.
penholder (n.)
"a holder for pens or pen-points," 1815, from pen (n.1) + holder.
penis (n.)
"the male organ of copulation," 1670s, from French pénis or directly from Latin pēnis "penis," earlier "tail," from PIE *pes-, usually said to be originally "penis" (source also of Sanskrit pasas-, Greek peos, posthe "penis," probably also Old English fæsl "progeny, offspring," Old Norse fösull, German Fasel "young of animals, brood"). But de Vaan writes that "the meaning of pēnītus ['furnished with a tail'] as well as general semantic considerations suggest that the meaning 'tail' is original, and 'penis' metaphorically derived from it." The proper plural is penes. The adjective is penial. In psychological writing, the term penis envy is attested by 1922.
penicillin (n.)
antibiotic agent active against bacteria but harmless to most persons, 1929, coined in English by Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), who first recognized its antibiotic properties, from Modern Latin Penicillium notatum (1867), the name of the mould from which it was first obtained, from Latin penicillus "paintbrush" (see pencil (n.)), in reference to the shape of the mould cells.
peninsula (n.)
"piece of land almost surrounded by water but connected with a mainland by a neck or isthmus," 1530s, from Latin paeninsula "a peninsula," literally "almost an island," from pæne "nearly, almost, practically," which is of uncertain origin, + insula "island" (see isle). In 16c. sometimes Englished as demie island.
peninsular (adj.)
"of or pertaining to a peninsula; in the form of a peninsula; carried on in a peninsula," 1610s, from peninsula + -ar or from French péninsulaire (16c.). Related: Peninsularity.
The Peninsular War was the successful military operations in Spain and Portugal 1808-14 by the British and allied local forces, largely under Wellington, to drive the French from the Iberian peninsula. The Peninsular Campaign in the American Civil War was the unsuccessful attempt by the Army of the Potomac, under McClellan, in the spring and early summer of 1862 to capture Richmond, Va., by advancing up the peninsula between the Rappahannock and James rivers.
penitence (n.)
"sorrow for committing sin or for having offended, with the intention of amending one's life; mortification undertaken to make amends for sin," c. 1200, from Old French penitence (11c.) and directly from Latin pænitentia "repentance" (Medieval Latin penitentia), noun of condition from pænitentum (nominative pænitens) "penitent," present participle of pænitere "cause or feel regret," probably originally "is not enough, is unsatisfactory," from pæne "nearly, almost, practically," which is of uncertain origin. The basic meaning seems to be "missing, lacking." Related: Penitency.
penitent (adj.)
"sorry for offenses committed, repentant of one's sins, contrite," mid-14c., from Old French pénitent (14c.) and directly from Latin paenitentem (Medieval Latin penitentem) "penitent" (see penitence).
As a noun, "one undergoing penance, a repentant sinner," late 14c., from the adjective (earlier in this sense was penaunt, early 14c., from Old French peneant). Also, in plural, a name distinguishing some Catholic orders, especially those formed for the reception of reformed courtesans.
penitential (adj.)
early 15c., penitencial, "done as penance," from Old French penitencial and directly from Medieval Latin penitentialis "pertaining to penance," from Latin paenitentia "repentance" (see penitence).
penitentiary (n.)
early 15c., penitenciarie, "place of punishment for offenses against the church," also "a priest appointed to administer the sacrament of penance," especially in extraordinary cases, from Medieval Latin penitentiaria, from fem. of penitentiarius (adj.) "of penance," from Latin paenitentia "penitence" (see penitence).
The meaning "house of correction, prison in which convicts are confined for punishment and reformation and compelled to labor" (originally an asylum for prostitutes) is from 1806, short for penitentiary house (1776). Slang shortening pen is attested from 1884.
As an adjective, from 1570s as "relating to penance," by 1791 as "expressive of contrition."
penknife (n.)
also pen-knife, "small pocket-knife," early 15c., penne-knif, from pen (n.1) + knife (n.). So called because such small knives were used to make and mend quill pens.
*penkwe-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "five."
It forms all or part of: cinquain; cinque; cinquecento; cinquefoil; fifteen; fifth; fifty; fin (n.) "five-dollar bill;" finger; fist; five; foist; keno; parcheesi; penta-; pentacle; pentad; Pentateuch; Pentecost; pentagon; pentagram; pentameter; pentathlon; Pentothal; Pompeii; Punjab; punch (n.2) "type of mixed drink;" quinary; quincunx; quinella; quinque-; quinquennial; quint; quintain; quintet; quintile; quintessence; quintillion; quintuple.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit panca, Greek pente, Latin quinque, Old Church Slavonic pęti, Lithuanian penki, Old Welsh pimp, Old English fif, Dutch vijf, Old High German funf.
penman (n.)
590s, "one who writes a good hand, one skilled in penmanship;" 1610s, "copyist, clerk, scrivener" (obsolete), from pen (n.1) + man (n.).
penmanship (n.)
"the use of the pen in writing; manner of writing, handwriting," 1690s, from obsolete penman in the sense of "one who writes a good hand" + -ship.
penne (n.)
pasta in the form of tubes cut diagonally, by 1981, from Italian penne (1875), an extended use of the plural of penna, literally "quill," from Latin penna (see pen (n.1)). So called because the oblique cut resembles the writing tip of a quill pen.
pennant (n.)
1610s, "a rope for hoisting," probably a blend or confusion of pendant in the nautical sense of "suspended rope" and pennon "long, narrow flag." Use for "flag on a warship" is by 1690s; as "flag long in the fly as compared with its hoist," 1815. The meaning "flag symbolizing a sports championship" (especially baseball) is from 1880; as a synonym for "championship" it is attested by 1915.
penny (n.)
English coin, Middle English peni, from Old English pening, penig, Northumbrian penning "penny," from Proto-Germanic *panninga- (source also of Old Norse penningr, Swedish pänning, Danish penge, Old Frisian panning, Old Saxon pending, Middle Dutch pennic, Dutch penning, Old High German pfenning, German Pfennig, not recorded in Gothic where skatts is used instead), a word of unknown origin.
The English coin was originally set at one-twelfth of a shilling (or 240 to a Tower pound) and was of silver, later copper, then bronze. There are two plural forms: pennies of individual coins, pence collectively. In Middle English, any coin could be called a penny, and in translations it rendered various foreign coins of small denomination, especially Latin denarius, whence comes its abbreviation d.
As an American English colloquial for cent, it is recorded by 1889. In reference to nails, "a pound," denoting that 1,000 nails will weigh so much, OED says it probably is based originally on the price per 100 and persisted as prices fell.
Penny-a-liner "writer for a journal or newspaper" is attested by 1830, from their supposed rate of pay. Penny dreadful in reference to "cheap and gory fiction" dates from 1870. Phrase penny-wise and pound-foolish is recorded from c. 1600.
Penny-pincher "miserly person" is recorded from 1906 (Middle English had pinchpenny (n.) in that sense; as an adjective penny-pinching is recorded from 1858, American English). Penny loafers attested from 1960, perhaps from the fashion of slipping a penny into the slits of the bands across the facing.
penniless (adj.)
"destitute, poverty-stricken," early 14c., penyles, from penny + -less.
pennon (n.)
"long, narrow flag" (often triangular or swallow-tailed, attached to a lance and having distinguishing markings), late 14c., penoun, from Old French penon "feathers of an arrow; streamer, flag, banner," from penne "feather," from Latin penna "feather" (from PIE root *pet- "to rush, to fly"). In medieval Europe, the flag of a knight-bachelor or one who has not reached the dignity of a banneret.
Pennsylvania
American colony, later U.S. state, 1681, literally "Penn's Woods," a hybrid formed from the surname Penn (Welsh, literally "head") + Latin sylvania (see sylvan). Not named for William Penn, the proprietor, but, on suggestion of Charles II, for Penn's late father, Admiral William Penn (1621-1670), who had lent the king the money that was repaid to the son in the form of land for a Quaker settlement in America. The story goes that the younger Penn wanted to call it New Wales, but the king's secretary, a Welshman of orthodox religion, wouldn't hear of it. Pennsylvania Dutch (adj.) in reference to the German communities of the state, which retained their customs and language, is attested from 1824.
Pennsylvanian
by 1685 (n.) "a person of Pennsylvania;" by 1698 (adj.) "of or pertaining to Pennsylvania," from Pennsylvania + -an. In reference to a geological system, attested from 1891.
penny-ante (adj.)
"cheap, trivial," 1935; extended from use in reference to poker played for insignificant stakes (1855), from penny + ante.
pennyfarthing (adj.)
also penny farthing, penny-farthing, "ineffective," 1887, from penny + farthing, the two together making but a small sum. The noun, in reference to the kind of bicycle with a small wheel in back and a big one in front (so called from the notion of different size coins) is attested by 1920.
pennyroyal (n.)
perennial herb of the mint family, formerly cultivated for medicinal purposes, 1520s, alteration by folk etymology of Anglo-French puliol real; for second element see royal; the first element ultimately is from Latin puleium "thyme," a word of unknown origin. Later also applied to an American plant.
pennyweight (n.)
unit of measure equal to the weight of one penny, Old English penega gewiht, originally the weight of a silver penny (22 grains); see penny + weight (n.).
pennyworth (n.)
"goods costing a penny, as much as can be bought for a penny," Middle English peni-worth, from Old English peningwurð; see penny + worth (adj.). Figurative of "small amount" from mid-14c. Also generally, "value for the money given" (mid-14c.).
penology (n.)
"study of punishment for crime and crime prevention," 1838, coined apparently by Francis Lieber, corresponding member of the Philadephia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, from pen- as in penitentiary (ultimately from Latin poena "penalty, punishment;" see penal) + -ology "study of." Related: Penologist; penological.
pen-pal (n.)
also pen pal, "friend or contact with whom a regular correspondence is conducted," 1931, from pen (n.1) + pal (n.). gradually replacing earlier pen-friend (1919).
Pensacola
city on the Gulf coast of the Florida panhandle, named for a Muskogean tribe, from Choctaw, literally "hair-people," from pashi "hair of the head" + oklah "people."
pension (n.)
late 14c., pensioun, "payment for services," especially "a regular reward or annual payment out of a will or benefice" (early 14c., in Anglo-Latin), from Old French pension "payment, rent" (13c.) and directly from Latin pensionem (nominative pensio) "a payment, installment, rent," from past-participle stem of pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh; pay" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin"). For the financial sense of the Latin verb, see pound (n.1).
Meaning "regular payment to a person in consideration of past service" is from 1520s, hence "periodic payment made to a person retired from service on account of age or disability" (originally especially government pay to soldiers and sailors). Meaning "boarding house, boarding school" is attested from 1640s, from a sense in French based on the meaning "money paid for board," and in English it is usually in reference to places in France or elsewhere on the Continent.
pensioner (n.)
"one in receipt of a pension or regular allowance," late 15c., from Anglo-French pensionner, from Old French pensionnier (mid-14c.), from Medieval Latin pensionarius, from pension "a payment" (see pension (n.)).
pension (v.)
1640s, "to live in a pension," from pension (n.) or else from French pensionner. Meaning "to grant a pension" is from 1702. Related: Pensioned; pensioning.
pensive (adj.)
late 14c., pensif, "sad, sorrowful, melancholy;" also "engaged in serious thought, meditative, contemplative;" from Old French pensif "thoughtful, distracted, musing" (11c.), from penser "to think," from Latin pensare "weigh, consider," frequentative of pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh; pay" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin"). Meaning "expressing thoughtfulness with sadness" is from 1540s. Related: Pensively; pensiveness.
pent (adj.)
"kept in, confined," 1540s, variant of penned, past participle of pen (v.2). Pent-up (also pent up) is from 1580s.
penta-
word-forming element in words of Greek origin or formation meaning "five, containing five," from Greek penta- (before a vowel pent-), combining form of pente "five," related to Aeolian pempte (from PIE root *penkwe- "five"), with -a- probably by analogy of hepta-, ennea-, deka-.
pentacle (n.)
1590s, "mathematical figure (presumably originally one of five points) used in magical ceremonies and considered a defense against demons," from Medieval Latin pentaculum "pentagram," a hybrid coined from Greek pente "five" (from PIE root *penkwe- "five") + Latin -culum, diminutive (or instrumental) suffix. OED notes other similar words: Italian had pentacolo "anything with five points," and French pentacle (16c.) was the name of something used in necromancy, perhaps a five-branched candlestick; French had pentacol "amulet worn around the neck" (14c.), from pend- "to hang" + a "to" + col "neck." The same figure as a pentagram, except in magical usage, where it has been extended to other symbols of power, including a six-point star. Related: Pentacular.