GRE Word List P(part 1)

pachyderm thick-skinned animal
pacifist one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
pacify soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue; bring peace to
padre chaplain (in the armed forces)
paean song of praise or joy; Ex. paeans celebrating the victory
painstaking taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care; very careful and through
palatable agreeable; pleasing to the taste
palate roof of the mouth; sense of the taste
palatial of or suitable for a palace; magnificent
paleontology study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents
palette board on which painter mixes pigments(coloring matters)
palimpsest parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased
pall become boring; grow tiresome
pallet small poor bed; Ex. straw pallet
palliate ease pain (without curing); make less severe or offensive (a crime or illness)
pallid pale; wan; Ex. pallid complexion
palm conceal in the palm of the hand; palm off: pass off; Ex. palm off some bad oranges onto the lady/the painting as a real Renoir
palpable tangible; (of something bad) easily perceptible; obvious; Ex. palpable blunder
palpitate throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.
paltry insignificant; petty; trifling; contemptible; Ex. paltry sum; CF. trash
pan criticize harshly
panacea cure-all; remedy for all diseases
panache flair; manner of doing things without any difficulty (causing admiration); flamboyance; bunch of feathers (on a helmet); Ex. with great panache;
pandemic widespread; affecting the majority of people; N: pandemic disease; CF. all people
Pandemonium wild tumult(commotion); wild noisy disorder; CF. Paradise Lost
pander cater to (the low desires of others)
panegyric formal praise; encomium; Ex. I don’t deserve such panegyrics.
pang sudden sharp feeling of pain
panoramic denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view; N. panorama: unbroken view of a wide area
pantomime acting without dialogue; V.
papyrus ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
parable short simple story teaching a moral
paradigm model; example that serves as a model; pattern; list of all the inflectional forms of a word
paradox something apparently contradictory in nature (that may nonetheless be true); statement that looks false but is actually correct
paragon model of perfection; Ex. paragon of virtue
parallel similar; analogous; corresponding; N: parallel line; person or thing that is parallel (to another); similarity; Ex. know of no parallel to the case; Ex. without parallel; V: be similar to; make parallel; Ex. Your experience parallels mine; CF. unp
parallelism state of being parallel; similarity; analogy
parameter limit; independent variable; Ex. parameters of the problem; Ex. within the parameters of the budget
paramount foremost in importance; supreme; CF. para-: beyond; above; Ex. paranormal
paramour illicit lover
paranoia psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution; N: ADJ: paranoid, paranoiac
paraphernalia equipment; odds and ends used in a particular activity; personal belongings; Ex. photographic paraphernalia; CF. married woman’s property exclusive of her dowry
paraphrase restate a passage in one’s own words while retaining thought of author; N: restatement of a text in other words
parasite animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; CF. para-: beside
parched extremely dry; very thirsty; V. parch: make or become extremely dry (by exposure to heat)
parchment writing material made from the skin of a sheep or goat
pare cut away the outer covering or skin of (with a knife); trim; Ex. pare apples/expenses
pariah social outcast; Ex. Mariah the pariah
parish area in the care of a single priest and served by one main church
parity equality; close resemblance; CF. disparate
parlance language; manner of speaking; idiom; Ex. in legal/common parlance
parley conference (between opponents); CF. speak
parochial narrow in scope or outlook; provincial; related to parishes
parody humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty; V.
paroxysm fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst
parquet floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic like matter; CF. strip: long narrow piece
parry ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; N.
parsimony stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious
partial incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something
partiality state of being partial; inclination; favorable bias; special fondness; preference
partisan one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any others); N: strong supporter of a party; guerrilla
partition divide into parts
parvenu upstart; newly rich person
pass\’e old-fashioned; past the prime
pass_off present falsely; represent falsely to be
passive not active; acted upon; receiving an action without acting in return; accepting without resistance
paste smooth viscous mixture as of flour(powder made by crushing grain) and water (used as an adhesive); V: cause to adhere by applying paste
pastiche imitation of another’s style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists
pastoral rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor
pastry paste of flour and water (eaten when baked)
patent obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N.
pathetic causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
pathological pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease
pathos tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel
patina green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by varnished painting
patois local or provincial dialect
patriarch father and ruler of a family or tribe
patrician noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian
patrimony property inherited from a father
patronize support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner; be a customer of; N. patron: one that supports; regular customer; N. patronage; CF. boycott
paucity scarcity; dearth
pauper very poor person
peccadillo slight offense or fault; CF. sin
pecuniary pertaining to money
pedagogue teacher; CF. child leader
pedagogy teaching; art of education
pedant scholar who overemphasizes book learning, trivial details of learning, or technicalities
pedantic bookish; showing off learning; marked by an excessive ostentatious concern for book learning; N. pedantry
peddle travel about selling (wares); CF. foot
pedestal support or base as for a pillar or statue
pedestrian ordinary; dull; unimaginative(lacking in imagination); going on foot; Ex. pedestrian prose; N.
pediatrician physician specializing in children’s diseases; N. pediatrics
pedigree ancestry; lineage
peer one who has equal standing with another; nobleman; V: look intently; N. peerage; CF. peeress
peerless having no equal; incomparable
peevish bad-tempered; irritable; V. peeve: make angry
pejorative (of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women now considers “housewife'’ a pejorative expression, because it patronized them.
pell-mell in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell
pellucid transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand
pen fenced enclosure for animals; confining space; Ex. sheep pen; V: confine in a pen; enclose
penance self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one’s sins; CF. penitent