14-letter words containing s, o, l, y
- phallic symbol — any object, as a cigar or skyscraper, that may broadly resemble or represent the penis, especially such an object that symbolizes power, as an automobile.
- phase velocity — the velocity with which a simple harmonic wave is propagated, equal to the wavelength divided by the period of vibration.
- phosphorolysis — any reaction where chemical bonds are broken down by phosphoric acid or phosphate
- phosphorolytic — of or relating to phosphorolysis
- photocatalysis — the acceleration or retardation of the reaction rate in chemical reactions by light.
- phyllosilicate — any silicate mineral having the tetrahedral silicate groups linked in sheets, each group containing four oxygen atoms, three of which are shared with other groups so that the ratio of silicon atoms to oxygen atoms is two to five.
- phytosociology — the branch of ecology dealing with the origin, composition, structure, and classification of plant communities.
- plastic memory — the tendency of certain plastics after being deformed to resume their original form when heated
- platycephalous — flat-headed
- play for keeps — to do something seriously and without showing any mercy
- play one's ace — to use one's best weapon or resource
- plethysmograph — a device for measuring and recording changes in the volume of the body or of a body part or organ.
- pleurapophysis — one of the lateral processes of a vertebra forming the ribs
- plumbosolvency — the ability to dissolve lead
- plymouth sound — an inlet of the English Channel in SW Devon, SW England
- police custody — If somebody or something is in police custody, they are kept somewhere secure, under the supervision of police officers, for example in a police station.
- policy adviser — a person who provides ideas or plans that are used by an organization or government as a basis for making decisions
- policy science — a branch of the social sciences concerned with the formulation and implementation of policy in bureaucracies, etc
- polite society — sophisticated company
- poly-syllogism — an argument made up of a chain of syllogisms, the conclusion of each being a premise of the one following, until the last one.
- polydispersity — the state of being polydisperse
- polygon pusher — (Or "rectangle slinger"). A chip designer who spends most of his or her time at the physical layout level (which requires drawing *lots* of multi-coloured polygons).
- polygraph test — a test carried out using a polygraph, esp used by the police to try to find out whether somebody is telling the truth
- polymorphously — in a polymorphous manner
- polyphosphoric — as in polyphosphoric acid, any oxyacid of pentavalent phosphorus
- polysaccharide — a carbohydrate, as starch, inulin, or cellulose, containing more than three monosaccharide units per molecule, the units being attached to each other in the manner of acetals, and therefore capable of hydrolysis by acids or enzymes to monosaccharides.
- polysuspensoid — a suspensoid in which the solid particles are polydisperse.
- polysynthesism — the synthesis of various elements.
- polyunsaturate — a polyunsaturated fat or fatty acid.
- pop psychology — beliefs about psychology, and about ways of applying psychology which are not based on science
- pop-psychology — psychological or pseudopsychological counseling, interpretations, concepts, terminology, etc., often simplistic or superficial, popularized by certain personalities, magazine articles, television shows, advice columns, or the like, that influence the general public.
- postcopulatory — of or relating to the period of time following copulation
- potato psyllid — a tiny homopterous insect, Paratrioza cockerelli, occurring in some areas of the western U.S., western Canada, and Mexico: a serious pest to potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, the nymphs acting as vectors in the transmission of psyllid yellows.
- potbelly stove — a usually cast-iron wood- or coal-burning stove having a large, rounded chamber.
- pouilly fuissé — a dry white Burgundy wine made from the chardonnay grape
- pouilly-fuisse — a dry, white wine from Burgundy.
- pre-psychology — the science of the mind or of mental states and processes.
- preposterously — completely contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; absurd; senseless; utterly foolish: a preposterous tale.
- presumptuously — full of, characterized by, or showing presumption or readiness to presume in conduct or thought, as by saying or doing something without right or permission.
- primary school — a school usually covering the first three or four years of elementary school and sometimes kindergarten.
- princess royal — the eldest daughter of a king or queen.
- processability — capable of being processed.
- professionally — following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain: a professional builder.
- prognostically — of or relating to prognosis.
- prosthetically — a device, either external or implanted, that substitutes for or supplements a missing or defective part of the body.
- provisionality — providing or serving for the time being only; existing only until permanently or properly replaced; temporary: a provisional government.
- psephoanalysis — the statistical and sociological analysis of election trends and results
- pseudonymously — bearing a false or fictitious name.
- pseudoprostyle — having a colonnade at each end, either very close to the front wall or engaged in it.
- psychoanalyses — a systematic structure of theories concerning the relation of conscious and unconscious psychological processes.