16-letter words containing p, l, a
- lost-wax process — a process of investment casting in which a refractory mold is built up around a pattern of wax and then baked so as to melt and drain off the wax.
- lower palatinate — See under Palatinate (def 1).
- lump sum payment — money: one-off payment
- lymphangiectasia — (medicine) dilation of the lymphatic vessels.
- lymphangiectasis — Alt form lymphangiectasia.
- lymphangiography — x-ray visualization of lymph vessels and nodes following injection of a contrast medium.
- lymphatic system — an extensive network of capillary vessels that transports the interstitial fluid of the body as lymph to the venous blood circulation
- lymphatic tissue — tissue, such as the lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen, and thymus, that produces lymphocytes
- macapagal arroyo — Gloria
- mach's principle — the proposition that there is no absolute space and that the inertia and acceleration of a body are determined by all of the matter of the universe.
- macrolepidoptera — a collector's name for that part of the lepidoptera that comprises the butterflies and the larger moths (noctuids, geometrids, bombycids, springtails, etc): a term without taxonomic significance
- mad-dog skullcap — a North American skullcap, Scutellaria lateriflora, having underground stems and one-sided clusters of blue to white flowers.
- make a complaint — If a guest makes a complaint, they express their dissatisfaction with something.
- malapportionment — (of a state or other political unit) poorly apportioned, especially divided, organized, or structured in a manner that prevents large sections of a population from having equitable representation in a legislative body.
- malchus-porphyry — (Malchus) a.d. c233–c304, Greek philosopher.
- mallowpuff māori — a Māori who is considered to behave like a white person
- malpighian layer — the deep, germinative layer of the epidermis.
- malpractice suit — a lawsuit brought against a professional accused of illegal or unethical practices or neglect of duty
- mamihlapinatapai — A situation in which all participants want something to be done, but none want to do it.
- mammographically — Using a mammograph, by means of mammograph.
- manipulativeness — Quality of being manipulative.
- many-plumed moth — a moth of the species, Alucita hexadactyla
- mari el republic — a constituent republic of W central Russia, in the middle Volga basin. Capital: Yoshkar-Ola. Pop: 728 000 (2002). Area: 23 200 sq km (8955 sq miles)
- marseille prolog — (language) One of the two main dialects of Prolog, the other being Edinburgh Prolog. The difference is largely syntax. The original Marseille Interpreter (1973) was written in Fortran.
- marsupialization — (surgery) The surgical technique of cutting a slit into a cyst and suturing its edges to form a continuous surface from the exterior to the interior of the cyst, allowing it to drain freely.
- menstrual cramps — pain in the lower abdomen as well as possibly in the lower back and legs associated with menstruation
- menstrual period — the bleeding from the womb that occurs approximately monthly in nonpregnant women of reproductive age
- mental telepathy — telepathy.
- mercantile paper — commercial paper.
- methyl parathion — a synthetic pesticide, C 8 H 1 0 NO 5 PS, used in the control of mites and various insects, as aphids, boll weevils, and cutworms.
- microencapsulate — (transitive) To embed by means of microencapsulation.
- microlepidoptera — a collector's name for the smaller moths: a term without taxonomic significance
- micromanipulator — A device, used for micromanipulation, consisting of microscopic needles and instruments viewed through a microscope.
- mineral deposits — amounts of minerals that occur naturally in particular areas
- miniature poodle — a breed of poodle, bred to be much smaller than standard poodles
- misanthropically — In a misanthropic manner.
- mit lisp machine — Lisp Machine
- monopolistically — In a monopolistic manner.
- montpelier maple — a maple, Acer monspessulanum, that is native to southern Europe and Northwest Africa
- moral philosophy — philosophy dealing with the principles of morality; ethics.
- morris plan bank — a private banking organization, formerly common in the U.S., designed primarily to grant small loans to industrial workers.
- multiple alleles — any one of a series of three or more alternative or allelic forms of a gene, only two of which can exist in any normal, diploid individual.
- multiple factors — polygene.
- multiple myeloma — a malignant plasma cell tumor of the bone marrow that destroys bone tissue.
- multiplicatively — tending to multiply or increase.
- multiprogramming — multitasking
- municipalization — (economics) The transfer of corporations or other assets to municipal ownership.
- mutual impedance — the ratio of the potential difference between either of two pairs of terminals to the current applied at the other pair of terminals when the circuit is open.
- nasal applicator — A nasal applicator is a device for administering medication through the nose.
- natural monopoly — the situation when, due to the economies of scale of a particular industry, the maximum efficiency of production and distribution is realized through a single supplier