12-letter words containing a, p, e, l
- pleiochasium — a flowering system in which several buds come out at the same time
- plenum cable — (hardware) Cable that can be (legally) installed in the plenum (the space between a ceiling and the floor above it). Such cable is (usually) teflon-coated so that it will not give off toxic fumes when burned. In some parts of the world such cable is required by law.
- plumulaceous — having the texture of down.
- plunge basin — a cavity at the base of a falls or cataract, formed by the action of the falling water.
- plunket baby — a baby brought up in infancy under the dietary recommendations of the Plunket Society
- pluriliteral — (in Hebrew grammar) containing more than three letters in the root
- pneumatology — Theology. doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit. the belief in intermediary spirits between humans and God.
- pneumococcal — a bacterium, Diplococcus pneumoniae, causing lobar pneumonia and associated with certain other diseases, as pericarditis and meningitis.
- poeticalness — the characteristic of being poetical
- polar circle — either the Arctic or the Antarctic Circle.
- polar vortex — a whirling mass of very cold air that sits over the North or South Pole: A displaced polar vortex is causing Arctic temperatures across the United States.
- polar wander — the movement of the earth's magnetic poles with respect to the geographic poles
- pole compass — (formerly) a ship's compass elevated on a wooden pole to isolate it as much as possible from local magnetism.
- pole dancing — Pole dancing is a type of entertainment in a bar or club in which a woman who is wearing very few clothes dances around a pole in a sexy way.
- pole vaulter — A pole vaulter is an athlete who performs the pole vault.
- police state — a nation in which the police, especially a secret police, summarily suppresses any social, economic, or political act that conflicts with governmental policy.
- policymakers — a person responsible for making policy, especially in government.
- polish wheat — a wheat, Triticum polonicum, grown chiefly in S Europe, N Africa, and Turkestan.
- politicalize — to cause to be political; color with politics.
- politicaster — an ill-suited or disliked politician
- poll watcher — a representative of a political party or of an organization running a candidate who is assigned to the polls on an election day to watch for violations of the laws that regulate voting, campaigning, etc.
- pollen grain — a single granule of pollen.
- polychaetous — of or relating to the genus Polychaeta
- polycythemia — an abnormal increase in the number and concentration of circulating red blood corpuscles
- polynucleate — having many nuclei.
- polypetalous — having a corolla of separate petals.
- polysepalous — having a calyx of separate or unconnected sepals.
- polysiloxane — a polymer composed of silicon and oxygen atoms
- polysyllable — a polysyllabic word.
- polythiazide — a substance, C 1 1 H 1 3 ClF 3 N 3 O 4 S 3 , used as a diuretic in the management of edema and hypertension.
- polyurethane — a thermoplastic polymer containing the group NHCOO: used for padding and insulation in furniture, clothing, and packaging, and in the manufacture of resins for adhesives, elastomers, and fillers.
- poodle-faker — a young man or newly commissioned officer who makes a point of socializing with women; ladies' man
- popocatepetl — a volcano in S central Mexico, SE of Mexico City. 17,887 feet (5450 meters).
- poppet valve — A poppet valve is a disk-shaped intake or exhaust valve in an internal combustion engine.
- popular vote — the vote for a U.S. presidential candidate made by the qualified voters, as opposed to that made by the electoral college. Compare electoral vote.
- porcelainite — Mineralogy. mullite.
- porcelainize — to make into or coat with porcelain or something resembling porcelain.
- porcelainous — made of or resembling porcelain
- porcelaneous — a strong, vitreous, translucent ceramic material, biscuit-fired at a low temperature, the glaze then fired at a very high temperature.
- porcellanise — to bake into porcelain
- porcellanite — hard and dense rock resembling unglazed porcelain
- porcellanize — to bake into porcelain
- port alberni — a port in SW British Columbia, in SW Canada, on the E central part of Vancouver Island, on an inlet of the Pacific Ocean.
- port angeles — a city in NW Washington, on the Juan de Fuca Strait.
- portal frame — a frame, usually of steel, consisting of two uprights and a cross beam at the top: the simplest structural unit in a framed building or a doorway
- porto alegre — a state in S Brazil. 107,923 sq. mi. (279,520 sq. km). Capital: Pôrto Alegre.
- porto amelia — former name of Pemba (def 2).
- positive law — customary law or law enacted by governmental authority (as distinguished from natural law).
- possessional — of, relating to, or characterized by possession
- post-nuclear — pertaining to or involving atomic weapons: nuclear war.