Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Pérez de Cuéllar, Javier (1920– ), former secretary general of the United Nations (1982–91), succeeded by Boutros Boutros Ghali.
21st Century Webster's Family Encyclopedia - Pennsylvania Dutch to Pima
Henri Phillippe Pétain
Pétain, Henri Phillippe (1856–1951), French World War I hero who became chief of state in the collaborationist Vichy regime (1940).
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch (from German Deutsch, “German”), descendants of German-speaking immigrants who came to Pennsylvania during the 17th and 18th centuries in search of religious freedom.
Pennyroyal
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), any of 4 species of low-growing herb of the mint family Labiatae native to Europe, Asia, and North America.
Penobscot River
Penobscot River, longest river in Maine.
Penology
Penology See: Criminology.
Pensacola
Pensacola (pop. 344,406), city, northwest Florida, seat of Escambia County, seaport on Pensacola Bay of the Gulf of Mexico.
Pension
Pension, regular payment received after retirement from employment because of age or disability, from the government under Social Security programs, or from private employers, or both.
Penstemon
Penstemon See: Beardtongue.
The Pentagon
Pentagon, The, five-sided building in Arlington, Va., that houses the U.S.
Pentagon Papers
Pentagon Papers, 2.5-million-word, top-secret history of U.S. involvement in Indochina from 1945 to 1968, compiled by order of Secretary of Defense Robert S.
Pentateuch
Pentateuch (Greek, “five books”), the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Pentathlon
Pentathlon, track and field competition that consists of 5 events.
Pentecost
Pentecost (Greek, “50th”), Jewish and Christian festivals.
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism, Protestant fundamentalist and revivalist movement that emphasizes holiness and spiritual power as initiated by an experience (“baptism in the Spirit”) in which the recipient “speaks in tongues.” The Pentecostal churches base their distinctive doctrines and practice of charismata on New Testament teachings and accounts of the bestowal of the Holy Spirit.
Pentothal
Pentothal See: Thiopental.
Arno Allan Penzias
Penzias, Arno Allan (1933– ), German-born U.S. physicist who shared (with Robert Wilson) the 1978 Nobel Prize in physics for discovering cosmic microwave radiation emanating from outside of the galaxy, providing evidence for the big bang theory of the origins of the universe.
Peonage
Peonage, form of coercive servitude by which a laborer (peon) works off debts—often inescapable and life-long—to a creditor-master.
Peony
Peony, cultivated member of the buttercup family (genus Paeonia) with large showy blossoms.
Peoria
Peoria (pop. 339,172, industrial city in north-central Illinois, the third largest city in the state and the seat of Peoria County.
Pepin the Short
Pepin the Short (c.714–768), first Carolinian king of the Franks, who succeeded on the deposition (751) of Childeric, the last of the Merovingian kings.
Pepper
Pepper (Capsicum frutescens), woody plant of the family Solanaceae; also, its edible fruit.
Pepper
Pepper, pungent spice obtained from the black pepper (Piper nigrum) plant, a woody climbing vine of the family Piperaceae native to Java.
Sir William Pepperell
Pepperell, Sir William (1696–1759), American colonial leader and soldier who, backed by a British fleet, conquered (1745) the reputedly impregnable French fortress of Louisburg in Cape Breton, Canada, during the French and Indian Wars.
Peppermint
Peppermint (Mentha piperita), wild herb of the family Labiatae whose leaves contain an oil widely used for flavoring.
Peppertree
Peppertree (Schinus molle and S. terebinthifolius), tropical ornamental tree of the cashew family Anacardiaceae.
Pepsin
Pepsin, enzyme secreted by glands in the walls of the stomach to break down and digest protein.
Peptide
Peptide, compound containing from 2 to as many as 50 amino acids linked through the amino group of one acid and the carboxyl group of the other.
Samuel Pepys
Pepys, Samuel (1633–1703), English diarist.
Pequot
Pequot, Native Americans of the Algonquian language group who lived in southern New England.
Eva Duarte de Perón
Perón, Eva Duarte de (1919–52), popularly known as Evita, second wife of Argentina's President Juan Perón.
Juan Domingo Perón
Perón, Juan Domingo (1895–1974), president of Argentina (1946–55, 1973–74) as head of an army clique, he helped overthrow Ramón Castillo in 1943.
Percentage
Percentage, literally by the hundred, numerical computation indicating the ratio of a given number to a total number when the total number is compared to 100, shown by the symbol %.
Perception
Perception, recognition or identification of something.
Perch
Perch, freshwater fish of the family Percidae, often having colorful striped bodies.
Percussion instrument
Percussion instrument, musical instrument from which sound is produced by striking.
Peregrine falcon
Peregrine falcon See: Falcon.
S.J. Perelman
Perelman, S.J. (1904–79), U.S. humorous writer noted for his collaboration as screenwriter on several Marx Brothers' films, humorous books like The Rising Gorge (1961), and many articles that appeared in The New Yorker.
Perennial
Perennial, any plant that continues to grow for more than two years.
Shimon Peres
Peres, Shimon (1923– ), prime minister (1985–86) of the National Unity government of Israel.
Perfume
Perfume, blend of substances made from plant oils and synthetic materials that produce a pleasant odor.
Pergamum
Pergamum, ancient capital of Mysia in Asia Minor, now western Turkey.
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Pergolesi, Giovanni Battista (1710–36), Italian opera composer famed for his comic intermezzo The Maid as Mistress (1733).
Pericles
Pericles (c.495–429 B.C.), Athenian general and statesman.
Peridot
Peridot, transparent green olivine of gemstone quality.
Perigee
Perigee See: Orbit.
Periodic table
Periodic table, table of the elements listed in order of increasing atomic number, arranged in rows and columns to illustrate periodic similarities and trends in physical and chemical properties. In 1869 Dmitri Mendeleev published the first fairly complete periodic table, which was later revised by Henry Moseley. The numbers and arrangement of the electrons in the atom are responsible for the peri…
Periodontitis
Periodontitis, or pyorrhea alveolaris, disease of the gums and bones surrounding the teeth.
Peripatetic philosophy
Peripatetic philosophy, method of teaching philosophy attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Peritonitis
Peritonitis, inflammation of the peritoneum (abdominal lining), usually caused by bacterial infection or chemical irritation of peritoneum when internal organs become diseased (as with appendicitis) or when gastrointestinal tract contents escape (as with a perforated peptic ulcer).
Periwinkle
Periwinkle, any of a genus (Littorina) of edible snails found in northern Europe and on the Atlantic coast of the United States.
Perjury
Perjury, willful false statement made under oath during judicial or administrative proceedings.
Frances Perkins
Perkins, Frances (1882–1965), U.S.
Itzhak Perlman
Perlman, Itzhak (1945– ), U.S.-Israeli violinist.
Permafrost
Permafrost, permanently frozen ground, typical of the treeless plains of Siberia, though common throughout polar regions.
Permalloy
Permalloy, alloy that may be temporarily magnetized by electric current.
Permian
Permian, last period of the Paleozoic era, stretching between c.280 and 230 million years ago.
Permutations and combinations
Permutations and combinations, mathematical term for ways of counting out, arranging, and choosing objects in a group.
Perpetual motion machine
Perpetual motion machine, concept of a machine that would work continuously without external interference, or at least with 100% efficiency.
Perrault
Perrault, name of two French brothers.
Auguste Perret
Perret, Auguste (1874–1954), French architect known for his use of reinforced concrete in housing projects (Paris, 1903), in the Théâtre des Champs Élysées (1913), and in the church of Notre-Dame, Le Raincy (1922–23).
Perry
Perry, name of two U.S. brothers who became distinguished naval officers. Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819), became a hero of the War of 1812. After assembling a fleet of nine ships at Erie, Pa., he defeated six British warships on Sep. 10, 1813, off Put-in-Bay, Ohio, the Battle of Lake Erie. He announced his victory in the famous message, “We have met the enemy and they are ours. …
Saint-John Perse
Perse, Saint-John (1887–1975), French poet and diplomat whose real name was Alexis Saint-Léger.
Persephone
Persephone, in Greek and Roman mythology, goddess of the underworld; the Romans called her Proserpina.
Persepolis
Persepolis, ancient ceremonial capital of the Achaemenian kings of Persia, lying 30 mi (48 km) northeast of Shiraz, southwestern Iran.
Perseus
Perseus, in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Danaë, a mortal.
Perseus
Perseus, in astronomy, constellation containing the variable star Algol.
John Joseph Pershing
Pershing, John Joseph (1860–1948), U.S. general.
Persia
Persia See: Iran; Persia, Ancient.
Ancient Persia
Persia, Ancient, ancient high plateau of Iran, home of several great civilizations.
Persian
Persian, or Farsi, principal language of Iran, widely spoken in Afghanistan.
Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf, or Arabian Gulf, arm of the Arabian Sea between Iran and Arabia.
Persian Gulf War
Persian Gulf War, conflict (January-February 1991) initiated by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and its announced annexation of that country. A coalition of forces led by the United States was assembled, first to forestall further incursions of Iraq into Saudi Arabia or other Gulf states and second to reverse Iraq's takeover of Kuwait, as called for in a series of 12 UN resolutions. After …
Persian lamb
Persian lamb See: Karakul.
Persian wars
Persian wars (500–449 B.C.), wars between Greek states and the Persian Empire.
Persimmon
Persimmon, any of several trees (genus Diospyros) of the ebony family.
Personality
Personality, in psychology, characteristics and ways of behavior that define the uniqueness of an individual.
Perspective
Perspective, method of producing the appearance of three dimensions on a flat surface.
Perspiration
Perspiration, watery fluid secreted by the skin as a means of reducing body temperature.
Perth
Perth (pop. 1,193,100), capital of Western Australia, a western state with a coast on the Indian Ocean.
Pertussis
Pertussis See: Whooping cough.
Peru
Peru, third largest country in South America. With an area of 496,225 sq mi (1,285,216 sq km), Peru is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia; on the east by Brazil and Bolivia; on the south by Chile; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The 1,400 mi (2,253 km) long coastal strip, a central mountain region, and the eastern Amazonian plains are the country's main regions. The coastal…
Peru Current
Peru Current, or Humboldt Current, cold ocean current originating in the South Pacific and flowing north along the coasts of north Chile and Peru, whose climates it moderates, before turning west to join the South Equatorial Current.
Perugino
Perugino (Pietro Vannucci; 1446–1523), Italian Renaissance painter, teacher of Raphael.
Max Ferdinand Perutz
Perutz, Max Ferdinand (1914– ), Austrian-born English biochemist who shared with J.C.
Pescadores
Pescadores, group of about 64 small islands c.50 sq mi (130 sq km) of land area belonging to Taiwan, in the Formosa strait.
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Pestalozzi, Johann Heinrich (1746–1827), Swiss educator.
Pesticide
Pesticide, substance used to kill plants or animals responsible for economic damage to crops or ornamental plants or that prejudice the well-being of humans and domestic or conserved wild animals.
Epistles of Peter
Peter, Epistles of, 2 New Testament letters, traditionally attributed to St.
Peter I
Peter I (1844–1921), king of Serbia.
the Great Peter I
Peter I, the Great (1672–1725), became joint tsar in 1682 and sole tsar in 1696.
Peter II
Peter II (1923–70), king of Yugoslavia.
Saint Peter
Peter, Saint (Simon Peter; d. c.A.D. 64), leader of the 12 Apostles, regarded by Roman Catholics as the first pope.
Peterborough
Peterborough (pop. 61,000), city in southern Ontario, Canada, on the Otonabee River.
Petersburg
Petersburg (pop. 41,055), city in southeastern Virginia, on the Appomattox River.
Siege of Petersburg
Petersburg, Siege of See: Civil War, U.S.
Marius Petipa
Petipa, Marius (1819–1910), French dancer and choreographer who created the modern classical ballet.
Roland Petit
Petit, Roland (1924– ), French dancer and choreographer.
Petitgrain oil
Petitgrain oil, oil manufactured from parts of the bitter orange tree, produced abundantly in Paraguay, South America.
Petition of Right
Petition of Right, document presented to Charles I of England by Parliament (1628) in protest against his arbitrary fiscal methods.
PETN
PETN, common designation for the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate, an organic compound essential to the detonation system of certain explosive devices.
Petoskey stone
Petoskey stone, fossilized coral and state stone of Michigan, found outside the town of Petoskey.
Petra
Petra, ancient city in south-western Jordan.
Petrarch
Petrarch (Francesco Petracco; 1304–74), Italian poet and early humanist.
Petrel
Petrel, name for seabirds of the tubenosed-bird order Procellariformes, particularly the typical petrels and shearwaters of the families Procellariidae and Hydrobatidae.
Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie
Petrie, Sir William Matthew Flinders (1853–1942), English archeologist and Egyptologist.
Petrified forest
Petrified forest, stone-covered trunks of coniferous trees.
Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park, park of 147 sq mi (381 sq km) in eastern Arizona.
Petrochemical
Petrochemical, any chemical made from petroleum or natural gas; includes organic chemicals, plus the inorganic substances carbon black, sulfur, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide.
Petrograd
Petrograd See: Leningrad.
Petrol
Petrol See: Gasoline.
Petroleum
Petroleum, naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbons, usually liquid “crude oil,” but sometimes taken to include natural gas. Petroleum is believed to be formed from organic debris, chiefly of plankton and simple plants, which was rapidly buried in fine-grained sediment under marine conditions unfavorable to oxidation. After some biodegradation, increasing temperature and pressure …
Petroleum coke
Petroleum coke, byproduct of the process of refining crude oil.
Gaius Petronius Arbiter
Petronius Arbiter, Gaius (d.A.D. 66), Roman satirist.
Petunia
Petunia, group of popular herbs (genus Petunia) from South America.
Antoine Pevsner
Pevsner, Antoine (1886–1962), Russian-born sculptor who studied in Paris (1911–13) and settled there from 1922.
Pewter
Pewter, class of alloys consisting chiefly of tin, now hardened with copper and antimony, and usually containing lead, which increases malleability.
Peyote
Peyote See: Mescaline.
pH
pH, measure of hydrogen gas in a solution. apH of 7, which is neutral (neither acid nor alkaline), means there are 100 nanoequivalents of hydrogen ions per liter of blood.
Phaëton
Phaëton, or Phaëthon, in Greek mythology, mortal son of the sun god Helios and the sea goddess Clymene.
Phalanx
Phalanx, ancient Greek infantry formation, consisting of rows of eight men, each heavily armed with an overlapping shield and long pike.
Phalarope
Phalarope, any of various small seabirds of the family Phalaropodidae.
Pharaoh
Pharaoh, Hebrew form of the title of the kings of ancient Egypt.
Pharaoh hound
Pharaoh hound, breed of hunting dog originating in ancient Egypt.
Pharisees
Pharisees, member of an ancient Jewish sect devoted to strict observance of the holy law and strongly opposed to pagan practices absorbed by Judaism and to the Sadducees.
Pharmacology
Pharmacology, study of drugs, their chemistry, mode of action, routes of absorption, excretion, metabolism, drug interactions, toxicity and side effects.
Pharmacopoeia
Pharmacopoeia, text describing all available drugs and pharmacological preparations.
Pharmacy
Pharmacy, preparation or dispensing of drugs and pharmacological substances used in medicine; also, the place where this is practiced.
Pharos of Alexandria
Pharos of Alexandria See: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Pharyngeal tonsils
Pharyngeal tonsils See: Adenoids.
Pharynx
Pharynx, part of the digestive system, back of the throat where the mouth (oropharynx) and nose (nasopharynx) pass back into the esophagus.
Pheasant
Pheasant, game bird of the 16 genera of subfamily Phasianidae, including partridges and the peacock.
Phenology
Phenology, science studying the effects of climate on biological phenomenon.
Phenolphthalein
Phenolphthalein, white or yellowish white chemical compound (C20H14O4) used medicinally as a laxative and as an indicator of alkalies and acids. (Its solution is bright red in alkalies and colorless in acid.) The German chemist Adolf von Baeyer discovered the compound (1871).
Phenomenology
Phenomenology, modern school of philosophy based largely on a method developed by Edmund Husserl.
Phenylketonuria
Phenylketonuria (PKU), inborn error of metabolism, characterized by a virtual absence of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity and an elevation of plasma phenylalanine, that frequently results in mental retardation.
Pheromone
Pheromone, chemical substance secreted by animals and serving to stimulate behavioral responses by other individuals of the same species.
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa, most prestigious U.S. honor society for college and university students in the liberal arts and sciences.
Phidias
Phidias, or Pheidias (500–432 B.C.), perhaps the greatest Greek sculptor, whose work showed the human form idealized and with great nobility.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, name of several ancient Greek cities.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia (pop. 1,552,600), historic city in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania, the fourth largest in the United States. It is a key shipping port, with important metal, machinery, clothing, petroleum, chemical, and food industries and has long been a center for publishing, education, and the arts. It was one of the first planned cities. Its founder, William Penn, created his colony in 16…
Philanthropy
Philanthropy, acts of charity meant to improve the welfare of people.
Epistle to Philemon
Philemon, Epistle to, New Testament letter written c.A.D. 61 by St.
Philip
Philip, name of six kings of France. Philip I (1052–1108) reigned from 1060. He enlarged his small territories and prevented the union of England and Normandy. His practice of simony and his disputed second marriage led him into conflict with the papacy. Philip II, or Philip Augustus (1165–1223), reigned from 1180 and established France as a European power. He joined the Crusades, on…
Philip
Philip, name of five kings of Spain. Philip I, or Philip the Handsome (1478–1506), was archduke of Austria, duke of Burgundy, and inheritor of the Netherlands. He became first Habsburg king of Castile in 1506, ruling jointly with his wife Joanna. Philip II (1527–98), crowned in 1556, united the Iberian peninsula and ruled an empire that included Milan, Naples, Sicily, the Netherlands…
Philip the Evangelist
Philip the Evangelist, also called Philip the Deacon, early Christian preacher chosen by the apostles to work in the church of Jerusalem.
Philip II
Philip II (382–386 B.C.), king of Macedonia from 359 and father of Alexander the Great.
Prince Philip
Philip, Prince (1921– ), consort of Queen Elizabeth II of England.
Saint Philip
Philip, Saint, one of the Twelve Apostles.
Philippi
Philippi, ancient city of Macedonia, in present-day Greece, named for Philip II of Macedon.
Epistle to the Philippians
Philippians, Epistle to the, New Testament letter written by St.
Philippines
Philippines, archipelago and republic in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The Philippines consists of more than 7,000 islands with a total area of 115,830 sq mi (300,000 sq km). A far-flung archipelago, the Philippines is bounded by the China Sea to the west, the Celebes Sea to the south, the Philippine Sea to the east and, in the north, the Bashi Channel separates the Philippines from Taiwan. The isl…
Philistines
Philistines, non-Semitic people who lived in Palestine from the 12th century B.C.
Wendell Phillips
Phillips, Wendell (1811–84), U.S. orator and social reformer.
Philo Judaeas
Philo Judaeas (c.20 B.C.–c.A.D. 50), Egyptian-born Jewish philosopher, “the Jewish Plato.” His attempt to fuse Greek philosophical thought with Jewish biblical religion had a profound influence on both Christian and Jewish theology.
Philodendron
Philodendron, genus of South American evergreen plants frequently grown as greenhouse and house plants.
Philosophe
Philosophe, member of the 18th-century French school of thinkers, scientists, and belles lettrists who believed that the methodology of science should be applied to contemporary social, economic, and political problems.
Philosophy
Philosophy, study of the nature of being and thinking, and more specifically of the human experience.
Phlebitis
Phlebitis, inflammation of the veins, usually causing a blood clot, or thrombosis (thrombophlebitis), and obstruction to blood flow.
Phlogiston
Phlogiston, elementary substance (without color, weight, taste, or odor) postulated by G.E.
Phlox
Phlox, genus of plants of North America and eastern Siberia that are grown in gardens around the world.
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh (pop. 900,000), capital and river port of Cambodia, on the Tônlé Sap River, where it joins the Mekong.
Phobia
Phobia, inordinate and overwhelming fear of certain events, situations, and objects.
Phoebe
Phoebe, any of several small birds (genus Sayornis) in the flycatcher family.
Phoenicia
Phoenicia, ancient territory corresponding roughly to the coastal region of modern Lebanon, inhabited by the Phoenicians (originally called Canaanites) from 3000 B.C.
Phoenix
Phoenix (pop. 890,700), largest city in and capital of Arizona and the seat of Maricopa County.
Phoenix
Phoenix, symbol of rebirth.
Phonetics
Phonetics, systematic examination of the sounds made in speech, concerned with the classification of these sounds, the physical and physiological aspects of their production and transmission, and their reception and interpretation by the listener.
Phonograph
Phonograph, or record player, instrument for reproducing sound recorded mechanically as modulations in a spiral groove.
Phosphate
Phosphate, derivative of phosphoric acid, either a phosphate ester or a salt containing phosphate ions.
Phosphor
Phosphor, substance emitting light (or other electromagnetic radiation) on nonthermal stimulation.
Phosphorescence
Phosphorescence, light produced by certain substances after the absorption of certain forms of energy, especially radiant energy.
Phosphoric acid
Phosphoric acid, also called orthophosphoric acid, syrupy acid (H3PO4) produced from phosphate rock or, in purer form, from white phosphorus.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus, chemical element, symbol P; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Phosphorus cycle
Phosphorus cycle, the cycling and recycling of phosphorus in the living world, or biosphere.
Photochemistry
Photochemistry, branch of physical chemistry dealing with chemical reactions that produce light or are initiated by (visible or ultraviolet) light.
Photocomposition
Photocomposition, also called phototypesetting, system by which words are arranged for printing on photographic film or paper.
Photoconductive cell
Photoconductive cell See: Electric eye.
Photocopying
Photocopying, duplication of printed images or words through a process involving photographic techniques.
Photoelectric cell
Photoelectric cell See: Electric eye.
Photoelectric effect
Photoelectric effect (properly photoemissive effect), the emission of electrons from a surface when struck by electromagnetic radiation, such as light.
Photoengraving and photolithography
Photoengraving and photolithography, processes by which plates or cylinders containing matter for printing are created.
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry, method for making measurements for maps or surveys through photographs.
Photography
Photography, use of light sensitive material to produce permanent visible images (photographs). In the most familiar processes a photographic emulsion is a preparation of tiny silver halide crystals suspended in a thin layer of gelatin coated on a glass, film, or paper support. On brief exposure to light in a camera or other apparatus, a latent image in activated silver salt is formed wherever lig…
Photometry
Photometry, science of the measurement of light, particularly as it affects illumination engineering.
Photon
Photon, quantum of electromagnetic energy, often thought of as the particle associated with light or other electromagnetic radiation.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis, process by which green plants convert the energy of sunlight into chemical energy that is stored as carbohydrate.
Phrenology
Phrenology, theory that the various faculties of the mind occupy distinct and separate areas in the brain cortex and that the predominance of certain faculties can be predicted from modifications of the parts of the skull overlying the areas where these faculties are located.
Phrygia
Phrygia, ancient region and sometime kingdom (8th–6th centuries B.C.) in present-day central Turkey.
Duncan Phyfe
Phyfe, Duncan (c.1768–1854), Scottish-born U.S. cabinetmaker, designer of the most distinctive U.S. neoclassical furniture.
Phylloxera
Phylloxera, louse resembling an aphid that is a serious pest in vineyards.
Phylum
Phylum See: Classification.
Physical chemistry
Physical chemistry, branch of chemistry in which the theories and methods of physics are applied to chemical systems.
Physical education
Physical education, instruction designed to further the health, growth, and athletic capacity of the body.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy, or physiotherapy, system of physical treatment for disease or disability.
Physics
Physics, science that deals with the interaction of matter and energy. Physics attempts to explain the nature of the physical world from the movements of planets to the smallest sub-atomic particles. Physics is important because many of the conclusions drawn from scientific study are applied to medicine and technology. Physics is usually divided into 2 large categories-classic physics and modern p…
Physiocrat
Physiocrat, member of 18th century French school of economists founded by François Quesnay, who held that agriculture, rather than industry or commerce, was the basis of a nation's prosperity, and that land alone should be subject to tax.
Physiology
Physiology, study of function in living organisms.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy See: Physical therapy.
Pi
Pi, in mathematics, name of the symbol π, which denotes the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter (3.1416).
Edith Piaf
Piaf, Edith (Edith Giovanna Gassion; 1915–63), French cabaret and music-hall singer.
Jean Piaget
Piaget, Jean (1896–1980), Swiss psychologist whose theories of the mental development of children, though now often criticized, have been of paramount importance.
Piankashaw
Piankashaw See: Miami (tribe).
Piano
Piano, or pianoforte, musical stringed keyboard instrument.
Gregor Piatigorsky
Piatigorsky, Gregor (1903–76), Russian-born U.S. cellist.
Pablo Picasso
Picasso, Pablo (Pablo Ruiz y Picasso; 1881–1973), Spanish-born French painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and ceramist, considered by many the greatest artist of the 20th century. A precocious painter, after his melancholy “blue period” and his lyrical “rose period” (1901–6), he was influenced by African and primitive art, as shown in Les Demoiselles d�…
Piccalilli
Piccalilli, relish made from chopped and pickled vegetables (green pepper, onion, cucumber, among others) and spices (mustard seed, celery seed, etc.).
Piccard
Piccard, name of Swiss scientists who were twin brothers.
Piccolo
Piccolo, small woodwind instrument resembling a flute.
Pickerel
Pickerel, carnivorous freshwater fish, smaller relative of the pike (family Esocidae), also with a snout like duck's bill.
Timothy Pickering
Pickering, Timothy (1745–1829), U.S. politician.
George Edward Pickett
Pickett, George Edward (1825–75), Confederate general in the U.S.
Mary Pickford
Pickford, Mary (Gladys Smith; 1893–1979), Canadian-born U.S. movie actress.
Pickle
Pickle, food preserved in vinegar or brine to prevent the development of putrefying bacteria.
Susan La Flesche Picotte
Picotte, Susan La Flesche (1865–1915), first Native American woman to become a physician.
Picric acid
Picric acid, also known as trinitrophenol, toxic, explosive, crystalline acid (C6H3N3O7) with industrial applications.
Pictography
Pictography, writing by means of pictures, particularly ancient methods of using actual pictures as symbols.
Pictou
Pictou (pop. 4,400), town and port in northern Novia Scotia, Canada, on Northumberland Strait.
Picts
Picts, ancient inhabitants of Scotland whose forebears probably came from the European continent c.1000 B.C.
Pidgin
Pidgin, language of simplified grammar and vocabulary, most often based on a western European language, with some vocabulary from or based on another or several other languages.
Piedmont
Piedmont, region in northwestern Italy, including both mountainous terrain—the Alps and the Appenines—and the upper Po River valley, a rich farm area.
Piedmont Region
Piedmont Region, region of the United States from New Jersey in the north to Alabama in the south, from the Appalachian Mountains in the west to the Atlantic coastal plains in the east.
Pieplant
Pieplant See: Rhubarb.
Franklin Pierce
Pierce, Franklin (1804–69), 14th president of the United States. Pierce, the dark-horse candidate of a badly divided Democratic Party, served during a period of sectional strife that eventually led to the Civil War. Inexperienced and poorly prepared for the burdens of national office, Pierce was unable to cope with the bitter conflict over slavery in the territories. He left office a discre…
Piero della Francesca
Piero della Francesca (c.1420–92), Italian painter, one of the greatest Renaissance artists.
Pierre
Pierre (pop. 11,973), capital city of South Dakota, in the central part of the state.
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg, also called Maritzburg (pop. 126,300), capital of Kwazulu Natal Province in northeastern South Africa.
Piezoelectricity
Piezoelectricity, reversible relationship between mechanical stress and electrostatic potential exhibited by certain crystals with no center of symmetry, discovered in 1880.
Pig iron
Pig iron See: Iron and Steel.
Pigeon
Pigeon, name for family (Columbidae) of some 255 species of birds, with worldwide distribution.
Pigeon guillemot
Pigeon guillemot See: Guillemot.
Pigfish
Pigfish See: Grunt.
Pigment
Pigment, coloring substance.
Pigmy
Pigmy See: Pygmy.
Pigweed
Pigweed, any of several weeds of the Amaranth family.
Pika
Pika, group of small mammals (family Ochstonidae) related to the hares and rabbits, also known as mousehares, whistling hares, and rock conies.
Pike
Pike, carnivorous freshwater fish (family Esocidae) with ducklike snout and sharp teeth.
Zebulon Montgomery Pike
Pike, Zebulon Montgomery (1779–1813), U.S. general and explorer, best known as the discoverer (1806) of the Colorado mountain thereafter called Pikes Peak.
Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak, mountain, 14,110 ft (4,301 m) high, in east-central Colorado, part of the Rocky Mountains, near Colorado Springs.
Pontius Pilate
Pilate, Pontius, Roman procurator of Judea (A.D. 26–36) who ordered the crucifixion of Christ, afterward washing his hands to declaim responsibility.
Piles
Piles See: Hemorrhoid.
Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage See: Hajj; Lourdes.
Pilgrims
Pilgrims, English settlers who first landed in New England in 1620 in the location now known as Plymouth, Mass.
Pilot whale
Pilot whale, also called blackfish, any of several species of smalltoothed whales (genus Globicephala) of the dolphin family.
Pilotfish
Pilotfish (Naucrates ductor), fish (family Carangidae) once believed to guide sharks and even ships.
Pilotweed
Pilotweed See: Compass plant.
Pilsen
Pilsen See: Plzen.
Józef Pilsudski
Pilsudski, Józef (1867–1935), Polish general and politician.
Piltdown man
Piltdown man (Eoanthropus dawsoni), fraudulent human ancestor whose “remains” were found (1908–15) under Piltdown Common, Sussex, United Kingdom.
Pima
Pima, Native American peoples living with the Maricopas on the Gila River and Salt River reservations in southern Arizona.