15-letter words containing p, o, i, s, e, u
- oedipus complex — the unresolved desire of a child for sexual gratification through the parent of the opposite sex, especially the desire of a son for his mother. This involves, first, identification with and, later, hatred for the parent of the same sex, who is considered by the child as a rival.
- open university — higher education by correspondence
- opposite number — counterpart; equivalent: New members with an interest in folk art will find their opposite numbers in the association's directory.
- opprobriousness — The state or condition of being opprobrious.
- outside caliper — a caliper whose legs turn inward so that it can measure outside dimensions, as the diameter of a rod.
- overconsumption — the act of consuming, as by use, decay, or destruction.
- overspeculation — the contemplation or consideration of some subject: to engage in speculation on humanity's ultimate destiny.
- parallel cousin — a cousin who is the child either of one's mother's sister or of one's father's brother.
- parti québécois — (in Canada) a political party in Quebec, formed in 1968 and originally advocating the separation of Quebec from the rest of the country
- passifloraceous — of, relating to, or belonging to the Passifloraceae, a tropical and subtropical family of climbing plants including the passionflowers: the flowers have five petals and threadlike parts forming a dense mass (corona) around the central disc
- pedagoguishness — the quality of being pedagoguish
- percussion lock — a gunlock on a firearm that fires by striking a percussion cap.
- percussion tool — a power driven tool which operates by striking rapid blows: the power may be electricity or compressed air
- perfunctoriness — performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial: perfunctory courtesy.
- peroxysulphuric — as in peroxysulphuric acid
- personal injury — injury to an individual
- petit bourgeois — a person who belongs to the petite bourgeoisie.
- petty bourgeois — petit bourgeois
- pithecanthropus — a former genus of extinct hominids whose members have now been assigned to the proposed species Homo erectus.
- plantaginaceous — relating to or belonging to the family Plantaginaceae
- plastic surgeon — doctor who performs cosmetic surgery
- play favourites — to display favouritism
- pleasure-loving — enjoying pleasure
- plumbaginaceous — belonging to the Plumbaginaceae, the leadwort family of plants.
- plunket society — the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children
- policy issuance — Policy issuance is the process of creating an insurance policy and providing it to the policyholder.
- polyisobutylene — a polymer of isobutylene, used chiefly in the manufacture of synthetic rubber.
- positive column — the luminous region between the Faraday dark space and the anode glow in a vacuum tube, occurring when the pressure is low.
- posse comitatus — the body of persons that a peace officer of a county is empowered to call upon for assistance in preserving the peace, making arrests, and serving writs.
- post-parturient — bearing or about to bear young; travailing.
- post-revolution — an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed.
- postdevaluation — the period following the devaluation of a currency
- postdivestiture — taking place after divestiture
- pre-acquisition — the act of acquiring or gaining possession: the acquisition of real estate.
- pre-consumption — the act of consuming, as by use, decay, or destruction.
- preconstruction — the act or art of constructing.
- pretentiousness — characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved: a pretentious, self-important waiter.
- programme music — music that is intended to depict or evoke a scene or idea
- proscenium arch — the arch separating the stage from the auditorium
- pseudepigraphon — any book of the Pseudepigrapha
- pseudo-academic — of or relating to a college, academy, school, or other educational institution, especially one for higher education: academic requirements.
- pseudo-artistic — conforming to the standards of art; satisfying aesthetic requirements: artistic productions.
- pseudo-bohemian — living a wandering or vagabond life, as a Gypsy.
- pseudo-chemical — of, used in, produced by, or concerned with chemistry or chemicals: a chemical formula; chemical agents.
- pseudo-critical — inclined to find fault or to judge with severity, often too readily.
- pseudo-dramatic — of or relating to the drama.
- pseudo-medieval — of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or in the style of the Middle Ages: medieval architecture. Compare Middle Ages.
- pseudo-military — of, for, or pertaining to the army or armed forces, often as distinguished from the navy: from civilian to military life.
- pseudo-national — of, relating to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit: national affairs.
- pseudo-romantic — of, relating to, or of the nature of romance; characteristic or suggestive of the world of romance: a romantic adventure.