14-letter words containing s, p, e, i
- phillips curve — a curve that purports to plot the relationship between unemployment and inflation on the theory that as inflation falls unemployment rises and vice versa
- phillips screw — a screw having a cruciform slot into which a screwdriver with a cruciform point (Phillips screwdriver (trademark)) fits
- philosophaster — a person who has only a superficial knowledge of philosophy or who feigns a knowledge he or she does not possess.
- philosopheress — a philosopher who is a woman
- phonochemistry — the branch of chemistry concerned with the chemical effects of sound and ultrasonic waves
- phosphoprotein — a protein, as casein or ovalbumin, in which one or more hydroxyl groups of serine, threonine, or tyrosine are hydroxylated.
- photochemistry — the branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical action of light.
- photogeologist — a person who studies or has a profession in photogeology
- photoluminesce — to produce photoluminescence
- photoperiodism — the response, as affecting growth or reproduction, of an organism to the length of exposure to light in a 24-hour period.
- photorealistic — a style of painting flourishing in the 1970s, especially in the U.S., England, and France, and depicting commonplace scenes or ordinary people, with a meticulously detailed realism, flat images, and barely discernible brushwork that suggests and often is based on or incorporates an actual photograph.
- photoresistive — photoconductive
- photosensitive — sensitive to light or similar radiation.
- photosensitize — to make (a material) photosensitive, as by the application of a photosensitive emulsion.
- photosynthesis — the complex process by which carbon dioxide, water, and certain inorganic salts are converted into carbohydrates by green plants, algae, and certain bacteria, using energy from the sun and chlorophyll.
- photosynthetic — the complex process by which carbon dioxide, water, and certain inorganic salts are converted into carbohydrates by green plants, algae, and certain bacteria, using energy from the sun and chlorophyll.
- phraseological — manner or style of verbal expression; characteristic language: legal phraseology.
- 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.
- physical layer — (networking) Layer one, the lowest layer in the OSI seven layer model. The physical layer encompasses details such as electrical and mechanical connections to the network, transmission of binary data as changing voltage levels on wires or similar concepts on other connectors, and data rates. The physical layer is used by the data link layer. Example physical layer protocols are CSMA/CD, token ring and bus.
- phytochemistry — the branch of biochemistry dealing with plants and plant processes.
- pick one's way — to choose or select from among a group: to pick a contestant from the audience.
- pick's disease — a condition characterized by progressive deterioration of the brain with atrophy of the cerebral cortex, esp. the frontal lobes, and evidenced in loss of memory and emotional instability
- pickled onions — onions which have been preserved in vinegar or brine
- picture spread — an act or instance of spreading: With a spread of her arms the actress acknowledged the applause.
- pidgin english — a pidgin language based on English formerly used in commerce in Chinese ports.
- pie in the sky — pie1 (def 8).
- piecrust table — a table having a top, usually round, with a raised and intricately carved edge.
- piedras negras — a city in N Mexico, on the Rio Grande.
- pierian spring — a fountain in Pieria, sacred to the Muses and supposedly conferring inspiration or learning on anyone who drank from it.
- piezochemistry — the study of chemical reactions at high pressures
- pigeon-chested — having a narrow chest that sticks out at the front in an unusual way
- pilaster strip — a pilaster mass of relatively slight projection.
- pimento cheese — a processed cheese made from Neufchâtel, cream cheese, Cheddar, or other cheese, flavored with chopped pimientos.
- pinafore dress — a sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or sweater
- pink elephants — a facetious name applied to hallucinations caused by drunkenness
- pinking shears — shears that have notched blades, for cutting and simultaneously pinking fabric or for finishing garments with a notched, nonfraying edge.
- pipeline stall — pipeline break
- piston-engined — powered by a piston engine
- plain speaking — expressing oneself directly
- planning stage — the stage of a project when it is still being planned
- planta genista — a representation of a sprig of broom: used as a badge of the Plantagenets.
- plasmapheresis — a type of apheresis in which blood cells are returned to the bloodstream of the donor and the plasma is used, as for tranfusion.
- plastic bullet — A plastic bullet is a large bullet made of plastic, which is intended to make people stop rioting, rather than to kill people.
- plastic memory — the tendency of certain plastics after being deformed to resume their original form when heated
- plastic police — a collective term for several classes of public officer (including community support officers) authorized to perform certain tasks and duties in support of the police force, but having lesser powers than the police
- pleasurability — the characteristic of being pleasurable
- plesiochronous — (communications) Nearly synchronised, a term describing a communication system where transmitted signals have the same nominal digital rate but are synchronised on different clocks. According to ITU-T standards, corresponding signals are plesiochronous if their significant instants occur at nominally the same rate, with any variation in rate being constrained within specified limits.
- pleurapophysis — one of the lateral processes of a vertebra forming the ribs
- plotting sheet — a blank chart having only a compass rose and latitude lines, longitude lines, or both, marked and annotated, as required, by a navigator.
- plumbous oxide — litharge.