12-letter words containing i, m, p, l
- nuxi problem — (data, architecture) /nuk'see pro'bl*m/ The problem of transferring data between computers with differing byte order. The string "Unix" might look like "NUXI" on a machine with a different "byte sex" (e.g. when transferring data from a little-endian to a big-endian, or vice-versa). See also middle-endian, swab, and bytesexual.
- nympholeptic — an ecstasy supposed by the ancients to be inspired by nymphs.
- oil platform — An oil platform is a structure that is used when getting oil from the ground under the sea.
- oligospermia — (medicine) Low volume of semen.
- olympic-size — of the dimensions or length prescribed for the Olympic Games and other major athletic competitions: an Olympic-size speed-skating oval.
- ombrophilous — (of plants) tolerant of wet conditions
- omnipotently — almighty or infinite in power, as God.
- ophthalmitis — ophthalmia.
- optimistical — disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.
- optometrical — the practice or profession of examining the eyes, by means of suitable instruments or appliances, for defects in vision and eye disorders in order to prescribe corrective lenses or other appropriate treatment.
- overmultiply — to increase too much or too often
- oversimplify — make too simple
- paleoclimate — the climate of some former period of geologic time.
- palimpsestic — a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text.
- palindromist — a word, line, verse, number, sentence, etc., reading the same backward as forward, as Madam, I'm Adam or Poor Dan is in a droop.
- palm islands — a group of three man-made island systems under construction just off the shore in Dubai, each in the shape of a palm tree
- palm springs — a city in S California: resort.
- pan-islamism — the idea or advocacy of a political union of all Muslim nations.
- panhellenism — the idea or advocacy of a union of all Greeks in one political body.
- panhellenium — an institution founded by the Roman Emperor Hadrian idealizing Greece's Classical history
- pansexualism — the belief that a sexual instinct drives all human behaviour
- para-medical — related to the medical profession in a secondary or supplementary capacity.
- paralipomena — Chronicles.
- paramilitary — noting or pertaining to an organization operating as, in place of, or as a supplement to a regular military force: a paramilitary police unit.
- parma violet — a variety of the sweet violet, Viola odorata, that is the source of an essential oil used in perfumery.
- parochialism — a parochial character, spirit, or tendency; excessive narrowness of interests or view; provincialism.
- paroemiology — the study of proverbs
- party animal — person who frequents drinking parties
- pearl hominy — whole or ground hulled corn from which the bran and germ have been removed by bleaching the whole kernels in a lye bath (lye hominy) or by crushing and sifting (pearl hominy)
- pearl millet — a tall grass, Pennisetum americanum (or P. glaucum), cultivated in Africa, Asia, and the southern U.S. for its edible seeds and as a forage plant.
- pearl primus — Pearl, 1919–1994, U.S. dancer, born in Trinidad.
- pelecaniform — of, or having the nature of, an order (Pelecaniformes) of swimming birds having all four toes connected in a webbed foot, including pelicans and cormorants
- peremptorily — leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal; imperative: a peremptory command.
- perimetrical — the border or outer boundary of a two-dimensional figure.
- periselenium — the closest point of the orbit of a spacecraft to the moon
- permeability — the property or state of being permeable.
- permissively — habitually or characteristically accepting or tolerant of something, as social behavior or linguistic usage, that others might disapprove or forbid.
- perpetualism — a belief in the permanence of a given thing; the belief that a given thing (e.g. the world, a political system) will last forever
- persian lamb — the young lamb of the Karakul sheep.
- phaeomelanin — a variety of melanin that gives rise to a red-coloured pigment
- phantasmical — pertaining to or of the nature of a phantasm; unreal; illusory; spectral: phantasmal creatures of nightmare.
- phantom limb — a phenomenon characterized by the experience of pain, discomfort, or other sensation in the area of a missing limb or other body part, as a breast.
- pharmacolite — hydrous calcium arsenate, 2CaO⋅As 2 O 5 ⋅5H 2 O, formed by natural alteration of mineral deposits containing arsenopyrite and arsenical ores of cobalt and silver.
- phentolamine — an alpha blocker, C 1 7 H 1 9 N 3 O, used to reduce hypertensive states caused by a catecholamine excess, as in the treatment of pheochromocytoma.
- philharmonic — fond of or devoted to music; music-loving: used especially in the name of certain musical societies that sponsor symphony orchestras (Philharmonic Societies) and hence applied to their concerts (philharmonic concerts)
- philistinism — (sometimes initial capital letter) a person who is lacking in or hostile or smugly indifferent to cultural values, intellectual pursuits, aesthetic refinement, etc., or is contentedly commonplace in ideas and tastes.
- phillumenist — a collector of matchbooks and matchboxes.
- philomelides — a king of Lesbos who wrestled and killed every opponent until he himself was defeated by Odysseus.
- philosophism — spurious or deceitful philosophy.
- phlebotomist — a specialist in phlebotomy.