9-letter words containing a, p, o, y
- pentalogy — a combination of five closely related things, esp (in medicine) closely connected symptoms or (in art) related works of art
- pentapody — a measure consisting of five feet.
- permalloy — any of various alloys containing iron and nickel (45–80 per cent) and sometimes smaller amounts of chromium and molybdenum
- perorally — through or via the mouth
- phagocyte — any cell, as a macrophage, that ingests and destroys foreign particles, bacteria, and cell debris.
- pharyngo- — pharynx
- phonatory — rapid, periodic opening and closing of the glottis through separation and apposition of the vocal cords that, accompanied by breath under lung pressure, constitutes a source of vocal sound.
- phony war — (in wartime) a period of apparent calm and inactivity, esp the period at the beginning of World War II
- photoplay — a motion-picture scenario; screenplay.
- phycocyan — a type of blue pigment or protein which is found in some algae
- phylakopi — an archaeological site on the Greek island of Melos, in the Cyclades group: excavations have revealed the remains of three successive ancient cities erected on a primitive Cycladic settlement.
- phytosaur — any armored, semiaquatic reptile of the extinct order Phytosauria, of the Mesozoic Era, resembling the crocodile but unrelated, having the nostrils high on the snout and with well-developed hind limbs suggestive of bipedal ancestors.
- pilcomayo — a river in S central South America, flowing SE from S Bolivia along the boundary between Paraguay and Argentina to the Paraguay River at Asunción. 1000 miles (1610 km) long.
- pinon jay — pinyon jay.
- piscatory — of or relating to fishermen or fishing: a piscatory treaty.
- pivotally — of, relating to, or serving as a pivot.
- placatory — serving, tending, or intended to placate: a placatory reply.
- placitory — of or relating to pleas made to support a claim or a defence
- play down — a dramatic composition or piece; drama.
- play upon — a dramatic composition or piece; drama.
- playdough — children's modelling clay
- playgoing — the activity of attending the theatre
- playgroup — a group of small children, especially preschoolers, organized for play or play activities and supervised by adult volunteers.
- playhouse — a theater.
- pleiotaxy — an increase in the normal number of parts.
- pododynia — pain in the sole of the foot.
- poignancy — the state or condition of being poignant.
- pollyanna — an excessively or blindly optimistic person.
- polyamide — a polymer in which the monomer units are linked together by the amide group –CONH–.
- polyamine — a compound containing more than one amino group.
- polyamory — the practice or condition of participating simultaneously in more than one serious romantic or sexual relationship with the knowledge and consent of all partners.
- polyandry — the practice or condition of having more than one husband at one time. Compare monandry (def 1).
- polyantha — a type of clustering flower
- polyanthi — hybrid garden primroses
- polyarchy — a form of government in which power is vested in three or more persons.
- polyaxial — having more than one axis
- polybasic — (of an acid) having two or more atoms of replaceable hydrogen.
- polygamic — polygamous.
- polygonal — a figure, especially a closed plane figure, having three or more, usually straight, sides.
- polygraph — an instrument for receiving and recording simultaneously tracings of variations in certain body activities.
- polylemma — a debate forcing a choice between contradictory positions
- polymathy — learning in many fields; encyclopedic knowledge.
- polynesia — one of the three principal divisions of Oceania, comprising those island groups in the Pacific lying E of Melanesia and Micronesia and extending from the Hawaiian Islands S to New Zealand.
- polyphagy — an insatiable appetite
- polyphase — having more than one phase.
- polypnoea — rapid breathing; panting.
- polytonal — marked by or using polytonality.
- polywater — a subtance mistakenly identified as a polymeric form of water, now known to be water containing ions from glass or quartz.
- polyzoary — a colony of bryozoan animals
- polyzonal — having many zones