12-letter words containing n, o, s, p
- parasphenoid — a bone next to the sphenoid bone in the skull of some animals
- parkinsonian — (sometimes initial capital letter) of, related to, or resembling Parkinson's disease.
- parkinsonism — Parkinson's disease.
- paronomastic — the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound to achieve a specific effect, as humor or a dual meaning; punning.
- parsimonious — characterized by or showing parsimony; frugal or stingy.
- parting shot — a threat, insult, condemnation, sarcastic retort, or the like, uttered upon leaving.
- pas d'action — a dramatic, pantomimic dance sequence serving to advance the plot.
- passing note — a note that is foreign to a harmony and is introduced between two successive chord tones in order to produce a melodic transition.
- passing shot — a shot played to one side of and beyond the reach of an opponent coming to or stationed at the net.
- passion play — a dramatic representation of the passion of Christ, as that given every ten years at the Bavarian village of Oberammergau.
- passion week — the week preceding Easter; Holy Week.
- passionately — having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling; fervid: a passionate advocate of socialism.
- passionfruit — any edible fruit of a passionflower, as the maypop.
- passive noun — a noun whose referent is the recipient of an action, as trainee, multiplicand.
- pastoralness — the quality or state of being pastoral or rural
- patent rolls — (in Britain) the register of patents issued
- pathogeneses — the production and development of disease.
- pathogenesis — the production and development of disease.
- patroclinous — inheritance in which the traits of the offspring are derived primarily from the paternal parent (opposed to matrocliny).
- patron saint — a saint regarded as the special guardian of a person, group, trade, country, etc.
- pause button — a button on a video or music player which can be pressed to temporarily stop the playing of the recording
- paving stone — slab used to lay a path
- pekinologist — a person who studies the People's Republic of China
- peloponnesus — a peninsula forming the S part of Greece: seat of the early Mycenaean civilization and the powerful city-states of Argos, Sparta, etc. 8356 sq. mi. (21,640 sq. km).
- penalty shot — a free shot at the goal defended only by the goalkeeper, awarded to an offensive player for certain defensive violations.
- penalty spot — a point within the penalty area and 12 yards (about 11 m) from the goal, from which a penalty kick may be taken
- penny stocks — Penny stocks are high-risk stock that sells for a very low price outside of the main stock exchange.
- pension book — In Britain, a pension book is a small book which is given to pensioners by the government. Each week, one page can be exchanged for money at a Post Office.
- pension fund — a fund created and maintained, as by a corporation, to provide benefits under a pension plan.
- pension plan — a systematic plan created and maintained, as by a corporation, to make regular payments of benefits to retired or disabled employees, either on a contributory or a noncontributory basis.
- percussional — of or relating to percussion
- percutaneous — administered, removed, or absorbed by way of the skin, as an injection, needle biopsy, or transdermal drug.
- perforations — the holes punched that allow individual stamps, coupons, etc to be easily separated
- perfusionist — a medical technician or nurse who monitors and operates equipment that oxygenates the blood, as during open-heart surgery
- periodontics — the branch of dentistry dealing with the study and treatment of diseases of the periodontium.
- periodontist — a specialist in periodontics.
- perispomenon — (of a Greek word) bearing a circumflex accent on the last syllable
- peristeronic — of, pertaining to, or resembling pigeons
- permissioned — authorization granted to do something; formal consent: to ask permission to leave the room.
- perniciously — causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful: pernicious teachings; a pernicious lie.
- perquisition — an intensive and meticulous examination, pursuit, or hunt for something
- persian knot — a hand-tied knot, used in rug weaving, in which the ends of yarn looped around a warp thread appear at each of the interstices between adjacent threads and produce a compact and relatively even pile effect.
- personalised — to have marked with one's initials, name, or monogram: to personalize stationery.
- personalized — customized
- personalness — of, relating to, or coming as from a particular person; individual; private: a personal opinion.
- personifying — to attribute human nature or character to (an inanimate object or an abstraction), as in speech or writing.
- perspiration — a salty, watery fluid secreted by the sweat glands of the skin, especially when very warm as a result of strenuous exertion; sweat.
- pertinacious — holding tenaciously to a purpose, course of action, or opinion; resolute.
- pest control — rats, insects: extermination
- petitionings — a number of appeals or requests