A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

pis aller --- last resource, 1676, from Fr., lit. "to go worse," from pis "worse," from L. pejus, neut. of pejor "worse" + aller "to go."

Pisces --- 12th sign of the zodiac, c.1391, from L., pl. of piscis "fish," cognate with Goth. fisks, O.E. fisc (see fish). Applied to persons born under this sign from 1924.

Pisgah --- 1650, name of the mountain east of the River Jordan, whence Moses was allowed to view the Promised Land he could not enter (Deut. iii.27); with figurative extension. From Heb., lit. "cleft."

pish --- exclamation of contempt, attested from 1592.

pismire --- c.1386, from pyss "urine" (in reference to the acrid smell of an anthill) + mire "an ant," probably from O.N. maurr "ant," perhaps distantly connected with Gk. myrmex, L. formica "ant." Cf. pissant, also early Du. mierseycke (from seycke "urine"), Finn. kusiainen (from kusi "urine").

piss (v.) --- c.1290, from O.Fr. pissier "urinate" (12c.), from V.L. *pissiare, of imitative origin. As a pure intensifier (cf. piss-poor, piss-ugly, etc.) it dates from World War II. Pissed off "angry, fed up" is 1946, U.S. slang. To piss off "go away" is attested from 1958, chiefly British. Piss and vinegar first attested 1942. Piss-prophet "one who diagnosed diseases by inspection of urine" is attested from 1625. Piss proud "erect upon awakening" is attested from 1796.

pissant --- 1661, "an ant," from first element of pismire (q.v.) + ant. Meaning "contemptible, insignificant person" is from 1903.

pistachio --- 1598, from It. pistacchio, from L. pistacium "pistachio nut," from Gk. pistakion, from pistake "pistachio tree," from Pers. pista "pistachio tree." Borrowed earlier (1533) as pystace, from O.Fr. form pistace (13c.).

pistil --- female organ of a flower, 1718, from Fr. pistil, from Mod.L. pistillum "a pistil," so called from resemblance to a pestle, from L. pistillum "pestle" (see pestle).

pistle --- letter, O.E. pistol, aphetic of epistol, from L. epistola (see epistle).

pistol --- small hand-held firearm, c.1570, from M.Fr. pistole "short firearm" (1566), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be from Ger. Pistole, from Czech pis'tala "firearm," lit. "tube, pipe," from pisteti "to whistle," of imitative origin, related to Rus. pischal "shepherd's pipe." But earlier form pistolet (1550) is from M.Fr. pistolet "a small firearm," also "a small dagger," which may be the literal sense; though some connect this word with It. pistolese, in reference to Pistoia, town in Tuscany noted for gunsmithing. Pistol-whip is first recorded 1942.

pistole --- former Sp. coin (not called that in Sp.), 1592, from Fr., from It. piastola, dim. of piastra "plate or leaf of metal," from L. plastrum (see plaster).

piston --- 1704, from Fr. piston, from M.Fr. piston "large pestle," from O.It. pistone, variant of pestone "a pestle," from pestare "to pound," from L.L. pistare, freq. of L. pinsere (pp. pistus) "to pound" (see pestle).

pit (1) --- hole, O.E. pytt "water hole, pit," from W.Gmc. *puttjaz "pool, puddle" (cf. O.E. putti, O.N. pyttr, Du. put, Ger. Pfütze), early borrowing from L. puteus "well, pit, shaft." Meaning "abode of evil spirits, hell" is attested from c.1225. The verb meaning "set against, oppose," is first recorded 1760, from the pit (1568) where cock fights and dog fights were held (cf. Pit-bull terrier first recorded 1945). This is also the notion behind the meaning "the part of a theater on the floor of the house" (1649). Pit of the stomach (1651) is from the slight depression there between the ribs. Pits "the worst," first attested 1953, U.S. slang, said to be a shortened form of armpits.

pit (2) --- hard seed, 1841, from Du. pit "kernel, seed, marrow," from M.Du. pitte, ult. from W.Gmc. *pithan-, source of Eng. pith (q.v.).

pita --- thick, flat bread, 1951, from Modern Heb. pita or Modern Gk. petta "bread," perhaps from Gk. peptos "cooked," or somehow connected to pizza (q.v.).

pitch (n.) --- tar, O.E. pic, from L. pix (gen. picis) "pitch," from PIE base *pi- "sap, juice" (cf. Gk. pissa, Lith. pikis, O.C.S. piklu "pitch," related to L. pinus; see pine (n.)).

pitch (v.) --- c.1205, "to thrust in, fasten, settle," probably from an unrecorded O.E. *piccean, related to the root of the verb prick. The original past tense was pight. Sense in pitch a tent (1297) is from notion of "driving in" the pegs; meaning "throw a ball" evolved c.1386 from that of "hit the mark." Noun meaning "act of throwing" is recorded from 1833. The noun meaning "act of plunging headfirst" is from 1762; sense of "slope, degree, inclination" is from 1542; musical sense is from 1597; but the connection of these is obscure. Sales pitch is attested from 1876, probably extended from meaning "stall pitched as a sales booth" (1811). Pitch-pipe is attested from 1711. Pitcher "one who pitches" is recorded from 1722, originally hay into a wagon, etc.; baseball sense first recorded 1845.

pitcher --- earthen jug, c.1290, from O.Fr. pichier (12c.), altered from bichier, from M.L. bicarium, probably from Gk. bikos "earthen vessel" (see beaker). Pitcher-plant is recorded from 1819.

pitchfork --- 1364, altered (by influence of M.E. pichen "to throw, thrust") from M.E. pic-forken, from pik (see pike (2)). The verb is attested from 1837.

piteous --- 1297, from Anglo-Fr. pitous, O.Fr. pitos (12c.), from M.L. pietosus "merciful, pitiful," in V.L. "dutiful," from L. pietas "dutiful conduct, compassion" (see piety).

pitfall --- 1305, a type of animal trap, from pit (1) + fall (v.). Extended sense of "any hidden danger" is first recorded 1586.

pith --- O.E. piþa "pith of plants," also "essential part," from W.Gmc. *pithan- (cf. M.Du. pitte, E.Fris. pit), a Low Ger. root of uncertain origin. Fig. sense was in O.E. The verb meaning "to kill by piercing the spinal cord" is from 1805. Pithy "full of substance or significance" is recorded from 1529. Pith helmet (1889, earlier pith hat, 1884) so called because it is made from the dried pith of the Bengal spongewood.

pithecanthropus --- genus of extinct primates, 1895, from Mod.L., lit. "monkey-man," from Gk. pithekos "ape" + anthropos "man" (see anthropo-). Coined 1868 by Haeckel as a name for a hypothetical link between apes and men (attested in Eng. in this sense from 1876); applied by Dr. Eugène Dubois (1858-1940), physician of the Du. army in Java, to remains he found there in 1891.

piton --- 1898, from Fr. piton "hook, peak, piton," from O.Fr. "nail, hook," from V.L. root *pitt- "point, peak."

pittance --- c.1225, "pious donation to a religious house or order to provide extra food," from O.Fr. pitance "portion of food allowed a monk or poor person by a pious bequest," lit. "pity," from pitié (see pity). Meaning "small amount, portion" first recorded 1561.

pituitary (adj.) --- 1615, from L. pituitarius "mucous," from pituita "phlegm, mucus." Taken as the name for the gland because it was believed that it channeled mucus to the nose.

pity (n.) --- c.1225, from O.Fr. pite, pitet (11c., Mod.Fr. pitié), from L. pietatem (nom. pietas) "piety, affection, duty," in L.L. "gentleness, kindness, pity," from pius (see pious). Replaced O.E. mildheortness, lit. "mild-heartness," itself a loan-translation of L. misericordia. Eng. pity and piety were not fully distinguished until 17c. The verb meaning "to feel pity for" is attested from 1529. Pitiful is c.1303 in sense of "compassionate" (implied in pitifully); c.1460 in sense of "exciting or deserving pity;" 1582 in sense of "mean, wretched, contemptible."

pivot (n.) --- 1611, from Fr., from O.Fr. pivot "hinge, pivot" (12c.), of uncertain origin. The verb is 1841, from the noun. Fig. sense of "central point" is recorded from 1813; pivotal in this sense is from 1844.

pixel --- 1969, coined to describe the photographic elements of a television image, from pix (1932 abbreviation of pictures, coined by "Variety" headline writers) + el(ement).

pixie --- c.1630, perhaps from Swed. dialect pyske "small fairy," but West County origin suggests ultimate source in Cornwall and thus something Celtic. Earliest references were in pixy-path "bewilderment," lit. "path on which one is led astray by pixies," and pixie-led "lost."

pixilated --- mildly insane, bewildered, tipsy, 1848, from pixie (q.v.) + -lated, as in titillated, etc., perhaps influenced by or a variant of pixie-led. A New England dialect word popularized by 1936 by movie "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town."

pizazz --- 1937, probably originally college or show-biz slang.

pizza --- 1935, from It. pizza, originally "cake, tart, pie," of uncertain origin. Klein suggests a connection with M.Gk. pitta "cake, pie," from Gk. pitta "pitch." See also pita. Pizzeria is attested from 1943, likely in use in Amer.Eng. from 1930s.

pizzicato --- 1845, from It. pizzicato, pp. of pizzicare "to pluck (strings), pinch," from pizzare "to prick, to sting," from O.It. pizzo "point, edge," from V.L. *pits-, probably of imitative origin.

pizzle --- penis of a bull used as a flogging instrument, 1523, from L.Ger. pesel or Flem. pezel, dim. of root of Du. pees "sinew," from O.L.G. root *pisa.

placard --- 1481, "formal document authenticated by an affixed seal," from M.Fr. placquard "official document with a large, flat seal," also "plate of armor," from O.Fr. plaquier "to piece together, stick, plaster," from M.Du. placken "to patch" (a garment), "to plaster," related to placke "patch, stain." Meaning "poster" first recorded 1560, though this sense is in M.Fr. from 15c.

placate --- c.1450 (implied in placable), from L. placatus, pp. of placare "to calm, appease," related to placere (see please).

place (n.) --- O.E. "open space in a city, market place, square," from O.Fr. place, from M.L. placea "place, spot," from L. platea "courtyard, open space, broad street," from Gk. plateia (hodos) "broad (way)," fem. of platys "broad," from PIE *plat- "to spread" (cf. Skt. prathati "spreads out;" Hitt. palhi "broad;" Lith. platus "broad;" Ger. Fladen "flat cake;" O.Ir. lethan "broad"); extended variant form of base *pele- (see plane (1)). Replaced O.E. stow and stede. Wide application in Eng., covering meanings that in Fr. require three words: place, lieu, and endroit. Cognate It. piazza and Sp. plaza retain more of the etymological sense. Broad sense of "material space, dimension of defined or indefinite extent" is from c.1250. Sense of "position on some social scale" is from c.1325. Meaning "group of houses in a town" is from 1585. Place-kick is from 1845, originally in rugby. Placement is first attested 1844. All over the place "in disorder" is attested from 1923.

place (v.) --- 1548, from place (n.). In the horse racing sense of "to achieve a certain position" (usually in the top 3 finishers; in U.S., specifically second place) it is first attested 1924, from earlier meaning "to state the position of" (among the first three finishers), 1826. To take place "to happen, be accomplished" (1460, earlier have place, 1398), translates Fr. avoir lieu.

placebo --- c.1225, name given to the rite of Vespers of the Office of the Dead, so called from the opening of the first antiphon, "I will please the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm cxiv:9), from L. placebo "I shall please," future indic. of placere "to please" (see please). Medical sense is first recorded 1785, "a medicine given more to please than to benefit the patient."

placenta --- 1677, from Mod.L. placenta uterina "uterine cake" (so called 16c. by It. anatomist Realdo Colombo), from L. placenta "flat cake," from Gk. plakoenta, accusative of plakoeis "flat," related to plax "anything flat," from PIE *plak-, extended form of base *pele- (see plane (n.)). So called from the shape.

placid --- 1626, from Fr. placide, from L. placidus "pleasing, gentle," from placere "to please" (see please).

plagiarism --- 1621, from L. plagiarius "kidnapper, seducer, plunderer," used in the sense of "literary thief" by Martial, from plagium "kidnapping," from plaga "snare, net," from PIE base *p(e)lag- "flat, spread out." Plagiary is attested from 1597.

plagio- --- comb. form, from Gk. plagios "oblique, slanting," from plagos "side," from PIE base *p(e)lag- "flat, spread."

plague (n.) --- 1382, "affliction, calamity, evil, scourge," also "malignant disease," from M.Fr. plague, from L.L. plaga, used in Vulgate for "pestilence," from L. plaga "stroke, wound," probably from root of plangere "to strike, lament (by beating the breast)," from or cognate with Gk. (Doric) plaga "blow," from PIE *plag- "hit" (cf. O.E. flocan "to strike, beat," Goth. flokan "to bewail," Ger. fluchen, O.Fris. floka "to curse"). O.Ir. plag (gen. plaige) "plague, pestilence" is from L. Specifically in ref. to "bubonic plague" from 1601. The verb is from 1481; in the sense of "bother, annoy" it is first recorded 1594. Plaguey "vexatious" is attested from 1615.

plaid --- 1512, from Scottish, from Gaelic plaide "blanket, mantle," of unknown origin, perhaps a contraction of peallaid "sheepskin," from peall "skin," from L. pellis (but OED finds this "phonetically improbable"). The wearing of it by males forbidden by act of parliament, under penalty of transportation, 1746-82.

plain (adj.) --- c.1300, "flat, smooth," from O.Fr. plain, from L. planus "flat, even, level" (see plane (1)). Sense of "evident" is from, c.1300; meaning "simple, sincere, ordinary" is recorded from c.1374. In ref. to the dress and speech of Quakers, it is recorded from 1827; of Amish and Mennonites, from 1904. Of appearance, as a euphemism for "ill-favored, ugly" it dates from 1749. Plain Jane "unattractive woman" first attested 1912. Plain-spoken first attested 1678. Plain clothes "ordinary dress" (as opposed to military uniform) is from 1822; of police detectives, it is attested from 1842. Plain-song (1513) translates L. cantus planus.

plain (n.) --- level country, 1297 (originally in ref. to Salisbury Plain), from O.Fr. plain, from L. planum "level ground, plain," properly neut. of adj. planus "flat, even, level" ((see plane (1)). L. planum was used for "level ground" but much more common was campus. Plains of the American Midwest first so called 1684.

plaint --- c.1225, "expression of sorrow," from O.Fr. pleint, from L. planctus "lamentation, beating," from plangere "to lament, to strike" (see plague). Connecting notion probably via beating one's breast in grief.

plaintiff --- c.1400, from Anglo-Fr. pleintif (1278), noun use of O.Fr. plaintif "complaining," from pleint (see plaint). Identical with plaintive at first; the form that receded into legal usage retained the older -iff spelling.

plaintive --- 1390, "lamenting," from O.Fr. plaintif "complaining," from pleint (see plaint). Sense of "mournful, sad" first recorded 1579.

plait (v.) --- 1377, "to fold, gather in pleats," from O.Fr. pleir "to fold," from L. plicare "to fold." The noun meaning "a fold, a crease" is attested from c.1400, from Anglo-Fr. pleit, O.Fr. pleit, ploit "fold, manner of folding," from L. plicatus, neuter pp. of plicare (see ply (v.)). Meaning "interlaced strands of hair, ribbon, etc." is from 1530.

plan (n.) --- 1678, "drawing, sketch, or diagram of any object," from Fr. plan "ground plan, map," lit. "plane surface" (1553), from L. planum "level or flat surface," n. use of adj. planus "level, flat" (see plane (1)). The notion is of "a drawing on a flat surface." Meaning "scheme of action, design" is first recorded 1706, possibly infl. by Fr. planter "to plant," from It. planta "ground plan." The verb is first recorded 1728. Planned economy is attested from 1931. Planned Parenthood (1942) formerly was Birth Control Federation of America. Phrase planned obsolescence is attested from 1966. Planner "book or device that enables one to plan" is attested from 1971.

planchet --- metal disk out of which a coin is made, 1611, from Fr. planchette, lit. "a small board," dim. of planche, from O.Fr., from L. planca "board, slab, plank" (see plank). The planchette used in automatism and on Ouija boards is a re-borrowing of the Fr. word, 1860.

plane (1) --- flat surface, 1604, from L. plantum "flat surface," properly neut. of adj. planus "flat, level, plain, clear," from PIE *pla-no- (cf. Lith. plonas "thin;" Celtic *lanon "plain;" perhaps also Gk. pelanos "sacrificial cake, a mixture offered to the gods, offering (of meal, honey, and oil) poured or spread"), suffixed form of base *pele- "to spread out, broad, flat" (cf. O.C.S. polje "flat land, field," Rus. polyi "open;" O.E., O.H.G. feld, M.Du. veld "field"). Fig. sense is attested from 1850. The verb meaning "soar, glide on motionless wings" is first recorded 1611, from M.Fr. planer (16c.), from L. planum on notion of bird gliding with flattened wings. Of boats, etc., "to skim over the surface of water" it is first found 1913.

plane (2) --- 1908, short for aeroplane (see airplane).

plane (3) --- tool for smoothing surfaces, 1349, from O.Fr. plane, earlier plaine (14c.), from L.L. plana, from planare "make level," from L. planus "level, flat" (see plane (1)). The verb meaning "to make smooth" is c.1320, from O.Fr. planer (12c.), from L.L. planare.

plane (4) --- tree of the genus Platanus, 1382, from O.Fr. plane, earlier plasne (14c.), from L. platanus, from Gk. platanos, earlier platanistos "plane tree," a species from Asia Minor, associated with platys "broad," in reference to its leaves (see place (n.)). Applied since 1778 in Scotland and northern England to the sycamore, whose leaves somewhat resemble those of the true plane tree.

planet --- late O.E., from O.Fr. planete (Fr. planète), from L.L. planeta, from Gk. (asteres) planetai "wandering (stars)," from planasthai "to wander," of unknown origin. So called because they have apparent motion, unlike the "fixed" stars. Originally including also the moon and sun; modern scientific sense of "world that orbits a star" is from 1640.

planetarium --- 1734, "orrery," Mod.L., from L.L. planeta (see planet) + L. -arium "a place for." Mod. sense of "device for projecting the night sky onto the interior of a dome" is attested from 1929.

plangent --- beating with a loud sound, 1822, from L. plangens (gen. plangentis), prp. of plangere "to strike, beat" (see plague).

plank --- 1206, from O.N.Fr. planke (O.Fr. planche) "plank, slab, little wooden bridge," from L.L. planca "broad slab, board," related to phalanga "pole to carry burdens," from Gk. phalange (see phalanx). Technically, timber sawed to measure 2 to 6 inches thick, 9 inches or more wide, and 8 feet or more long. Political sense of "item of a party platform" is U.S. coinage from 1848. To walk the plank, supposedly a pirate punishment, is first attested 1822 in Scott.

plankton --- 1891, from Ger. Plankton (1887), coined by Ger. physiologist Viktor Hensen (1835-1924) from Gk. plankton, neut. of planktos "wandering, drifting," verbal adj. from plazesthai "to wander, drift," from plazein "to drive astray."

plant (n.) --- O.E. plante "young tree or shrub, herb newly planted," from L. planta "sprout, shoot, cutting," perhaps from *plantare "to drive in with the feet, push into the ground with the feet," from planta "sole of the foot," from nasalized form of PIE *plat- "flat" (see place (n.)). Ger. Pflanze, Ir. cland, Welsh plant are from Latin. Broader sense of "any vegetable life" is first recorded 1551. The verb, "put in the ground to grow," is O.E. plantian, from L. plantare, from planta. Most extended usages are from the verbal sense. Sense of a building "planted" or begun for an industrial process is first attested 1789. Slang meaning "a spy" is first recorded 1812. Planter "proprietor of a cultivated estate in W.Indies or southern colonies of N.America" is attested from 1647; hence planter's punch (1924).

plantain (1) --- banana, 1555, from Sp. plátano, plántano, probably from Carib platana "banana" (Arawak pratane), and altered by assoc. with Sp. plátano "plane tree," from M.L. plantanus "plane tree," itself altered (by association with L. planta "plant") from L. platanus (see plane (4)). So called from the shape of its leaves. There is no similarity or relation between this plant and plantain (2).

plantain (2) --- weed of the genus Plantago, c.1265, from Anglo-Fr. plaunteyne, O.Fr. plantain, from L. plantaginem (nom. plantago), the common weed, from planta "sole of the foot" (see plant (n.)); so called from its flat leaves.

plantation --- c.1450, "action of planting," from M.Fr. plantation, from L. plantationem (nom. plantatio) "a planting," from plantare "to plant" (see plant). Historically used for "colony, settlement in a new land" (1614); meaning "large farm on which tobacco or cotton is grown" is first recorded 1706.

planxty --- in Ir. music, "harp tune of a sportive and animated character," 1790, of unknown origin, evidently not a native Ir. word; some suggest ultimate derivation from L. plangere "to strike, beat."

plaque --- 1848, "ornamental plate or tablet," from Fr. plaque, from M.Fr., "metal plate, coin," perhaps through Flem. placke "small coin," from M.Du. placke "disk, patch, stain," related to Ger. Placken "spot, patch" (cf. placard). Meaning "deposit on walls of arteries" is first attested 1891; that of "bacteria deposits on teeth" is 1898.

plash --- small puddle, wet ground, O.E. plæsc "pool of water, puddle," probably onomatopoeic (cf. Du. plassen, Ger. platschen). Meaning "noise made by splashing" is first recorded 1513.

-plasia --- comb. form denoting "formation," Mod.L., from Gk. plasis "molding, formation," from plassein "to mold" (see plasma).

plasma --- 1712, "form, shape" (earlier plasm, 1620), from L.L. plasma, from Gk. plasma "something molded or created," from plassein "to mold," originally "to spread thin," from PIE *plath-yein, from base *pele- "flat, to spread" (see plane (1)). Sense of "liquid part of blood" is from 1845; that of "ionized gas" is 1928.

-plast --- comb. form denoting "something made," from Gk. plastos "formed, molded," from plassein "to mold" (see plasma).

plaster (n.) --- O.E. plaster "medicinal application," from V.L. plastrum, shortened from L. emplastra "a plaster" (in both the medical and building senses), from Gk. emplastron "salve, plaster" (used by Galen instead of more usual emplaston), from neut. of emplastos "daubed on," from en- "on" + plastos "molded," from plassein "to mold" (see plasma). The building sense is first recorded in Eng. c.1300, via O.Fr. plastre. Meaning "to bomb (a target) heavily" is first recorded 1915. Plaster of Paris (c.1462) originally was made from the extensive gypsum deposits of Montmartre in Paris. Plastered "drunk" is attested from 1912, perhaps from plaster in sense of "to apply a remedy to, to soothe," hence "to give compensation" (1891).

plastic (adj.) --- 1632, "capable of shaping or molding," from L. plasticus, from Gk. plastikos "able to be molded, pertaining to molding," from plastos "molded," from plassein "to mold" (see plasma). Surgical sense of "remedying a deficiency of structure" is first recorded 1839. The noun meaning "solid substance that can be molded" is attested from 1905, originally of dental molds (Plasticine, a trade name for a modeling clay substitute, is from 1897). Main modern meaning, "synthetic product made from oil derivatives," first recorded 1909, coined by Leo Baekeland (see bakelite). Picked up in counterculture slang as an adj. meaning "false, superficial" (1963).

-plasty --- comb. form meaning "act or process of forming, plastic surgery," from Gk. -plastia, from plastos "molded, formed" (see plaster).

plat --- piece of ground, 1517, from plot (q.v.), assimilated to adj. plat "flat," from O.Fr. plat, perhaps from V.L. *plattus, from Gk. platys "flat, wide, broad" (see place (n.)).

plate (n.) --- c.1250, "flat sheet of gold or silver," also "flat, round coin," from O.Fr. plate "thin piece of metal" (c.1175), from M.L. plata "plate, piece of metal," perhaps via V.L. *plattus from Gk. platys "flat, broad" (see place (n.)). The cognate in Sp. (plata) and Port. (prata) has become the usual word for "silver," superseding argento via shortening of *plata d'argento "plate of silver, coin." Meaning "table utensils" (originally of silver or gold only) is from M.E. Meaning "shallow dish for food," now usually of china or earthenware, originally of metal or wood, is from c.1450. Baseball sense is from 1857. Geological sense is first attested 1904; plate tectonics first recorded 1969. Plate-glass first recorded 1727.