Online Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia Home

PIGMENTS (Lat. pigmentum, from pingere, to paint)

BARON GEORGE PIGOT (1719-1777)

ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE (1779-1813)

PILASTER (Fr. pilastre, med. Lat. pilastrum, from pila, a pillar)

PILATUS, LEO, or LEONTIUS [LEONZIo PILATO] (d. 1366)

PILCHARD (in earlier 16th century forms pylcher, pilchar; of unknown origin; the Fr. pilseir is adapted from Eng.)

PILGRIMAGE (Fr. pelerinage, Lat. peregrinatio)

PILLAR (0. Fr. piler, Mod. pilier, Late Lat. pilare, from pila, column)

PILLORY (0. Fr. pilori, Prov. espitlori, from Lat. speculatorium, a place of observation or " peep-hole ")

PILLOW (O. Eng. pylu; Lat. pulvinus, a cushion)

KARL VON PILOTY (1826-1886)

PILSEN (Czech, Plzen)

PIN (a doublet with " pen " from Lat. pinna, feather, pinnacle, which is said to contain the same root as irirvs, pine tree, and properly to mean a sharp point or end)

RUY DE PINA (1440-1521)

CHARLES PINCKNEY (1757–1824)

CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY (1746–1825)

THOMAS PINCKNEY (1750-1828)

PIND DADAN KHAN

PINDAR (Gr. HivSapos, c. 522–443 B.c.)

PINE (Lat. Pinus, Gr. srlrur)

PHILIPPE PINEL (1745–1826)

SIR ARTHUR WING PINERO (1855– )

ALLAN PINKERTON (1819–1884)

JOHN PINKERTON (1758–1826)

WILLIAM PINKNEY (1764–1822)

PINNACLE (from Lat. pinnaculum, a little feather, pinna; the Gr. rrspirylov, diminutive of irsipuE, wing, is also used in this sense)

WILLIAM PINNOCK (1782–1843)

PINOCHLE, or PENUCILE (Ger. Pinochel or Binochel, of uncertain etymology)

CIRO PINSUTI (1829--1888)

PINT (derived probably through Spanish, from Lat. pincta, pitta, a painted or marked vessel)

ANIBAL PINTO (1825–1884)

FERNAO MENDES PINTO (1509–1583)

PINTURICCHIO (1454–1513)

GEORGE JOHN PINWELL (1842-1875)

PIOTRKOW (Ger. Petrikau)

HESTER LYNCH PIOZZI (1741-1821)

PIPE AND TABOR (Fr. galoubet; Ger. Schwegel or Stamenlienpfeiff)

COUNT CARL PIPER (1647-1716)

C17H19NO3 PIPERINE

PIPERNO (anc. Privernum)

PIPERONAL (heliotropine, protocatechuic aldehyde methylene ether), C8H6O3

PIPIT (cognate with the Lat. Pipio; see PIGEON)

PIPPIN, or PEPIN

PIRAM, or PERIM

GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIRANESI

PIRATE AND PIRACY

OCTAVE PIRMEZ (1832-1883)

PIROGUE, or PIRAGUA (the French and Spanish forms respectively of a Caribbean word for this type of vessel; it has at various times taken many corrupt forms, e.g. periagua, pettiaugua, pettyoagar)

ALEXIS PIRON (1689-1773)

PIROT (Turkish Shehr-Kcey)

COUNCIL OF PISA (1409)

PISACA LANGUAGES

CHRISTINE DE PISAN (1364-c. 1430)

VETTOR PISANI (d. 1380)

GIOVANNI PISANO (c. 1250-1330)

NICCOLA PISANO (c. 1206-1278)

VITTORE PISANO (c. 1380-1456)

PISAURUM (mod. Pesaro, q.v.)

PISCES (the fishes)

PISCICULTURE (from Lat. piscis, fish)

CAMILLE PISSARRO (1831–1903)

SYNOD OF PISTOIA

PISTON (through Fr. from Ital. pistone or pestone, a great pestle, from Late Lat. pistare, to pound, a frequentative form of classical Lat. pinsere)

PIT (O. E. pytt, cognate with Du. put, Ger. Pfutze, &c., all ultimately adaptations of Lat. puteus, well, formed from root pu-, to cleanse, whence gurus, clean, pure)

ARCHIBALD PITCAIRNE (1652-1713)

PITCHBLENDE, or URANINITE

PITCHSTONE (German Pechstein, from its resemblance to pitch)

PITESCI (Pitesti)

PITH (O.E. pitca, cognate with Du. pit, kernel of a nut)

PITHECANTHROPUS ERECTUS (Erect Ape-Man)

PIERRE PITHOU (1539-1596)

GIUSEPPE OTTAVIO PITONI (1657-1743)

THOMAS PITT (1653-1726)

WILLIAM PITT (1759-1806)

PITTANCE (through O. Fr. pitance, from Lat. pietas, loving-Kindness)

PITTSBURG, or PITTSBURGH

PITYRIASIS VERSICOLOR (Gr. irtrvpiaccs, scurf, from airupOV, bran)

PIVOT (Fr. pivot; probably connected with Ital. pivolo, peg, pin, diminutive of piva, pipa, pipe)

FRANCISCO PIZARRO (c. 1471 or 1475-1541)

PIZZICATO (from Ital. pizzicare, to pluck or twitch)

PLACARD (15th cent. Fr. plackart, from plaquier; mod. plaquer, to plaster)

PLACE (through Fr. from Lat. platea, street; Gr. IrAar6s, wide)

PLACENTA (Lat. for a cake)

PLAGIHEDRALI CLASS

PLAGUE (in Gr. Xotµos; in Lat. pestis, pestilentia)

PLAICE (Pleuronectes platessa)

PLAID (Gael. plaide, Ir. ploid, usually taken to be derived from Gael. peall, sheepskin, Lat. pellis, skin)

PLAIN (O. Fr. plain, from Lat. plenum)

PLAIN SONG, or PLAIN CHANT (Gregorian Music; Lat. cant us planus; Ital. canto gregoriano; Fr. plain chant)

PLAIT (through O. Fr. pleit, from Lat. plicitum, folded, plicare, to fold)

PLAN (from Lat. planes, flat)

PLAN OF THEHERAEUM (surveyed and drawn by Edward L. Tilton)

PLAN OT PLANE TNR000N CENTRE LINE OE

PLANCEER, or PLANCHER (O. Fr. plancier, or planchier, planking)

JEAN BAPTISTE GUSTAVE PLANCHE (1808–1857)

GOTTLIEB JAKOB PLANCK (1751–1833)

KARL CHRISTIAN PLANCK (1819-188o)

PLANET (Gr. ssXavirrns, a wanderer)

ROBERT PLANQUETTE (1850– )

PLANTAIN (Lat. plantago)

PLANTATION (Lat. plantare, to plant)

CHRISTOPHE PLANTIN (1514–1589)

MAXIMUS PLANUDES (c. 1260-1330)

PLASSEY (Palasi)

PLASTER OF PARIS

PLATA, RIO DE LA, or RIVER PLATE

PLATAEA, or PLATAEAE

PLATEAU (a French term, older platel, for a flat piece of wood, metal, &c., from plat, flat)

JOSEPH ANTOINE FERDINAND PLATEAU (1801-1883)

BLATERPFEIFE PLATERSPIEL

PLATFORM (Fr. plateforme, i.e. ground plan)

PLATINUM WIRE INSULATION PERCUSSION

atomic weight 145.0 PLATINUM [symbol Pt (0=16)]

LEVSHIN PLATON (1737-1812)

THOMAS COLLIER PLATT (1833-191o)

PLATTE (so named, from the• French, because of its shallowness), or NEBRASKA

KARL FRIEDRICH PLATTNER (1800-x858)

TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS (originally perhaps MACCUS; cf. Asin. Prol. 11)

PLAYA (a Spanish word meaning " shore ")

JOHN PLAYFAIR (1748-1819)

LYON PLAYFAIR PLAYFAIR

PLEADING (Fr. plaider, plaidoyer)

PLEASURE (through Fr. plaisir from Lat. placere, to please; Gr. rlbovii)

PLEBISCITE (Lat. plebiscitum, a decree of the plebs)

PLEBS (from the root seen in Lat. plenus, full; cf. Gr. 7rXit9os)

VIATSCHESLAF KONSTANTINOVICH PLEHVE (1846-1904)

PLEIAD (Gr. Meats)

ATLANTIDES PLEIADES

PLEONASM (Gr. srAeovaoµbs, from 1rXeova?'ecv, to abound or be superfluous, irXiov, comparative of srolibs, many, great, large)

PLEURISY, or PLEURITIS (Gr. srXeiipc =ribs)

PLEVNA (Bulgarian Pleven)

IGNAZ JOSEPH PLEYEL (1757–1831)

ANDREW PLIMER (c. 1763-1837)

NATHANIEL PLIMER (1757-c. 1822)

SAMUEL PLIMSOLL (1824-1898)

PLINLIMMON (Plynlimmon, Pumplumon, Pumlumon, Penlumon: Pumlumon is the name used locally: pump means five: lumon, chimney, flag or beacon; pen, head)

PLINTH (Gr. ir)^fvOos, a square tile)

THE ELDER PLINY

THE YOUNGER PLINY

PLIOCENE (from the Gr. sr?eiov, mere, and xatvbs, recent)

PLOCK, or PLOTSK

LUISE VON PLOENNIES (1803-1872)

PLOESCI (Ploescii)

ROBERT PLOT (164o-1696)

PLOTINUS (A.D. 204-270)

PLOUGH AND PLOUGHING

JULIUS PLUCKER (18or-1868)

PLUMBAGO (from Lat. plum-bum, lead)

PLUMBAGO DRAWINGS

EDWARD HAYES PLUMPTRE (1821-1891)

OLIVER PLUNKET (1629—1681)

1ST BARON WILLIAM CONYNGHAM PLUNKET PLUNKET (1764—1854)

SIR HORACE CURZON PLUNKETT (1854– )

PLURALISM (Lat. plus, plures, many, several)

PLURALITY (0. Fr. pluralitd, Late Lat. pluralitas, plural number)

PLUSH (Fr. peluche)

PLUTARCH (Gr. llXoi rapxos) (c. A.D. 46–120)

PLUTO (IlXoirrwv)

PLUTOCRACY (Gr. irXovroKparia, from irXoirros, wealth, and Kparos, power)

PLYMOUTH BRETHREN

EARLS OF PLYMOUTH

PLYMPTON ST MARY

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH

PNEUMATICS (Gr. Irveiiµa, wind, air)

PNEUMATOLYSIS (Gr. 7rvevµa, vapour, and Mete, to set free)

PNEUMONIA (Gr. ?rveu AMP, lung)

POACH (probably from Fr. poche, bag, or Eng. " poke," thrust into)

CONSTANTINE PETROVICH POBEDONOSTSEV (1827-1907)

POCKARD POCHARD

SIR GEORGE POCOCK (1706-1792)

EDWARD POCOCKE (1604-1691)

GEORGE OF PODEBRAD (1420-1471)

PODESTA (Lat. potestas, power)

PODGORITSA (Croatian, Podgorica)

PODIUM (Gr. lr66tov, diminutive of ?roils, foot)

EDGAR ALLAN POE (18og-1849)

ALESSANDRO POERIO (1802-1848)

JOHANN CHRISTIAN POGGENDORFF (1796-1877)

POGGIO (1380-1459)

POGLIZZA (Serbo-Croatian, Poljica)

RAYMOND POINCARE (186o— )

LOUIS POINSOT (1777–1859)

SIMEON DENIS POISSON (1781-1840)

COLLOQUY OF POISSY

POKEWEED POKEBERRY (from the American-Indian pecan, applied to any plant yielding a red or yellow dye)

POLA (Gr. Hart or Haas; Slovene, Pulj)

POLABS (Po=on, Laba=Elbe)

POLAND (Polish Polska, Ger. Polen), (see POLAND, RUSSIAN, below)

POLARITY (Lat. polaris, poles, pole)

POLARIZATION OF LIGHT

REGINALD POLE (1500-1558)

RICHARD DE LA POLE (d. 1525)

WILLIAM POLE (1814—1900)

POLF (1) (0. Eng. pd!, cf. Ger. Pfahl, Du. pact', from Lat. pales, stake)

POLICE (Fr. police, government, civil administration, a police force, Gr. sroXumeia, constitution, condition of a state, roars, city, state)

POLISH SUCCESSION WAR (1733-1735)

POLITIAN (1454–1494)

POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC

JAMES KNOX POLK (179 1849)

LEONIDAS POLK (1806-1864)

POLKA (either from the Czech pulka, half, with an allusion to the short steps characteristic of the dance, or from the Polish Polka, feminine of Polak, a Pole)

POLLACK (Gadus pollachius)

POLLAN (Coregonus pollan)

EDWARD ALBERT POLLARD (1828–1872)

AUGUST POLLEN (or, as he afterwards called himself, ADOLF) LUDWIG (1794-1855)

POLLENTIA (mod. Pollenzo)

GAIUS ASINIUS POLLIO (76 B.C.–A.D. 5; according to some, 75 B.C.–A.D. 4)

FREIHERR VON KARL LUDWIG POLLNITZ (1692-1775)

ROBERT POLLOK (1798-1827)

POLLUX, or POLLUCITE

POLO (Tibetan pulu, ball)

GASPAR GIL POLO (?153o-1591)

MARCO POLO (c. 1254-1324)

POLONAISE (i.e. Polish, in French)

POLTERGEIST (Ger. for " racketing spirit ")

JEAN DE POLTROT (c. 1537–1563)

POLYANDRY (Gr. iroXus, many, and 6.vi7P, man)

POLYBIUS (c. 204–122 B.C.)

POLYCARP (c. 6g-c. 155)

POLYGAMY (Gr. nabs, many, and yayos, marriage)

POLYGLOTT (Gr. rails, many, and yX&,rra, tongue)

POLYGON (Gr. rroXus, many, and ywvia, an angle)

POLYGONAL NUMBERS

POLYHEDRAL NUMBERS

POLYHEDRON (Gr. rain, many, ESpa, a base)

POLYNESIA (Gr. iroXi,, many, and vnno-os, island)

MICRONESIA MELANESIA POLYNESIA (q.v.)

POLYPERCHON (incorrectly Polysperchon)