17-letter words containing c, a, o, e, p
- pacific tree frog — a common terrestrial frog, Hyla regilla, of western North America, having a dark stripe along each side of the head.
- pair of compasses — compass (def 7)
- palace revolution — a challenge to or overthrow of a sovereign or other leader by members of the ruling family or group.
- palaeoarchaeology — the branch of archaeology concerned with the earliest fossil remains
- palaeoclimatology — the study of climates of the geological past
- paleobiochemistry — the study of biochemical processes that occurred in fossil life forms.
- paleoconservative — a person advocating an older, traditional type of conservatism, especially in politics.
- panama canal zone — Canal Zone.
- papanicolaou test — Pap test.
- paradoxical sleep — REM sleep.
- parallel computer — parallel processor
- paraperiodic acid — the crystalline compound H5IO6, an oxyacid of iodine
- parathyroidectomy — the excision of a parathyroid gland.
- particle velocity — the velocity of a point in a medium that is undergoing wave motion.
- passive obedience — unquestioning obedience to authority
- peacock butterfly — a European nymphalid butterfly, Inachis io, having reddish-brown wings each marked with a purple eyespot
- pebbleweave cloth — an irregularly textured material made from twisted yarn
- pentachlorophenol — a white, crystalline, water-insoluble powder, C 6 Cl 5 OH, used chiefly in fungicides, disinfectants, and wood preservatives.
- per capita income — the total income of an area or country divided by the number of people in that area or country
- per procurationem — by one acting as an agent; by proxy.
- performance bonus — a monetary bonus paid to staff who have performed well in their job
- performance drugs — the drugs that are taken illegally by athletes to enhance their sporting performance
- periodical cicada — seventeen-year locust.
- permanent account — A permanent account is an account which carries its balance and is kept open from year to year.
- pernicious anemia — Pernicious anemia is a very severe blood disease.
- personal computer — a compact computer that uses a microprocessor and is designed for individual use, as by a person in an office or at home or school, for such applications as word processing, data management, financial analysis, or computer games. Abbreviation: PC.
- personal distance — personal space.
- personality clash — friction between two people who have different personalities or points of view
- personnel carrier — a vehicle used for transporting troops
- perspicaciousness — having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning: to exhibit perspicacious judgment.
- peterloo massacre — an incident at St Peter's Fields, Manchester, in 1819 in which a radical meeting was broken up by a cavalry charge, resulting in about 500 injuries and 11 deaths
- petrarchan sonnet — a sonnet form popularized by Petrarch, consisting of an octave with the rhyme scheme abbaabba and of a sestet with one of several rhyme schemes, as cdecde or cdcdcd.
- petrol filler cap — a small cover that goes over the hole in a vehicle into which you put petrol
- phantom pregnancy — the occurrence of signs of pregnancy, such as enlarged abdomen and absence of menstruation, when no embryo is present, due to hormonal imbalance
- phenethyl alcohol — a colorless, viscous, slightly water-soluble liquid, C 8 H 1 0 O, having a faint roselike odor: used chiefly in perfumery.
- phenyl isocyanate — a liquid reagent, C 7 H 5 NO, having an unpleasant, irritating odor: used chiefly for identifying alcohols and amines.
- phenylformic acid — benzoic acid.
- phonetic alphabet — an alphabet containing a separate character for each distinguishable speech sound.
- phonological rule — an operation in generative phonology that substitutes one sound or class of sounds for another in a phonological derivation.
- photoreactivation — a process that repairs DNA damaged by ultraviolet light using an enzyme that requires visible light.
- phototherapeutics — the branch of therapeutics that deals with the curative use of light rays.
- photovoltaic cell — a photocell in which an electromotive force is generated by a photovoltaic effect.
- pietro da cortona — Pietro da [pye-traw dah] /ˈpyɛ trɔ dɑ/ (Show IPA), (Pietro Berrettini) 1596–1669, Italian painter and architect.
- pitot-static tube — a device combining a Pitot tube with a static tube: used to measure airspeed.
- plastic explosive — a puttylike substance that contains an explosive charge, and is detonated by fuse or by remote control: used especially by terrorists and in guerrilla warfare.
- platinic chloride — chloroplatinic acid.
- pocket battleship — a small heavily armed and armored warship serving as a battleship because of limitations imposed by treaty.
- pocket calculator — an electronic calculator small enough to be carried on one's person.
- pocket dictionary — a small portable dictionary
- point of purchase — designating or in use at a retail outlet where an item can be purchased; point-of-sale: point-of-purchase displays to entice the buyer.