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

psaltery --- ancient stringed instrument, c.1300, from O.Fr. psalterie (12c.), from L. psalterium "stringed instrument," from Gk. psalterion "stringed instrument," from psallein "play on a stringed instrument, pull, pluck."

pseudo- --- comb. form meaning "false, feigned, erroneous," from Gk. pseudo-, comb. form of pseudes "false," or pseudos "falsehood," both from pseudein "to deceive." The prefix has been used as a stand-alone word for "false person, pretender" since c.1380.

pseudonym --- 1706 (in pseudonymous), from Fr. pseudonyme (adj.), from Gk. pseudonymos "having a false name," from pseudes "false" + onyma dial. form of "name." Properly of made-up names; the name of an actual author or person of reputation, affixed to a work he or she did not write, is an allonym. Pseudonymous first recorded 1706.

pseudo-science --- a pretended or mistaken science, 1844, from pseudo- (q.v.) + science.

psilanthropism --- the teaching that Jesus was entirely human, c.1810, from Gk. psilanthropos "merely human," from psilos "naked, bare, mere" + anthropos "man" (see anthropo-).

psilocybin --- 1958, from Mod.L. psilocybe, name of a Central Amer. species of mushroom, from Gk. psilos "bare" (akin to psen "to rub") + kybe "head."

psoriasis --- 1684, from L.L. psoriasis "mange, scurvy," from Gk. psoriasis "being itchy," from psorian "to have the itch," from psora "itch," related to psen "to rub."

psych --- short for psychology in various senses; as an academic study, in student slang by 1895. The verb is generally negative when used transitively, positive when intransitive; first attested (also psych out) 1934 as "to outsmart," from 1963 as "to unnerve." However to psych (oneself) up is from 1972; to be psyched up is attested from 1968.

psyche --- 1647, "animating spirit," from L. psyche, from Gk. psykhe "the soul, mind, spirit, breath, life, the invisible animating principle or entity which occupies and directs the physical body" (personified as Psykhe, the lover of Eros), akin to psykhein "to blow, cool," from PIE base *bhes- "to blow" (cf. Skt. bhas-). The word had extensive sense development in Platonic philosophy and Jewish-infl. theological writing of St. Paul. In Eng., psychological sense is from 1910.

psychedelic --- 1956, of drugs, suggested by H. Osmond in a letter to Aldous Huxley and used by Osmond in a scientific paper published the next year; from Gk. psykhe- "mind" (see psyche) + deloun "make visible, reveal," from delos "visible, clear." Psychedelia is from 1967.

psychiatry --- 1846, from Fr. psychiatrie, from M.L. psychiatria, lit. "a healing of the soul," from Gk. psykhe- "mind" (see psyche) + iatreia "healing, care." Psychiatrist first recorded 1890; the older name was mad-doctor (1703).

psychic --- 1871 (n.) "a medium;" 1873 (adj.) "of or pertaining to the human soul" (earlier psychical, 1642), from Gk. psykhikos "of the soul, spirit, or mind," from psykhe- "soul, mind" (see psyche). Meaning "characterized by psychic gifts" first recorded 1895.

psycho --- 1927 (adj.), shortening of psychological; 1936 as shortening of psychopathic (adj.). The noun , short for psychopath, is attested from 1942.

psycho- --- comb. form meaning "mind, mental," from Gk. psykho-, combining form of psykhe (see psyche).

psychoanalysis --- 1906, from Ger. Psychoanalyse, coined 1896 by Freud from Gk. psykhe- "mental" (see psyche) + Ger. Analyse, from Gk. analysis (see analysis). Freud earlier used psychische analyse (1894). Psychoanalyst and psychoanalyze both first attested 1911. Psychobabble is first recorded 1976.

psycho-drama --- 1937 (in writing of J.L. Moreno), from psycho- (q.v.) + drama.

psychology --- 1653, "study of the soul," probably coined mid-16c. in Germany by Melanchthon as Mod.L. psychologia, from Gk. psykhe- "breath, spirit, soul" (see psyche) + logia "study of." Meaning "study of the mind" first recorded 1748, from G. Wolff's Psychologia empirica (1732); main modern behavioral sense is from 1895.

psychopathic --- 1847, from Ger. psychopatisch, from Gk. psykhe- "mind" (see psyche) + pathos "suffering" (see pathos). Psychopath (n.) is an 1885 back-formation.

psychosis --- 1847, "mental derangement," from Gk. psykhe- "mind" (see psyche) + Mod.L. -osis "abnormal condition." Gk. psykhosis meant "animation, principle of life."

psychosomatic --- 1863, "pertaining to the relation between mind and body," from Gk. psykhe- "mind" (see psyche) + somatikos, from soma (gen. somatos) "body." Applied from 1938 to physical disorders with psychological causes. It can as easily apply to emotional disorders with physical causes, but it is rarely used as such.

psychotic (adj.) --- 1890, coined from psychosis, on the model of neurotic/neurosis, from Gk. psykhe- "mind, soul" (see psyche). The noun meaning "a psychotic person" is recorded from 1910.

psychotropic --- 1956, from psycho- + Gk. -tropos "turning," from trepein (see trope). Hence, what "turns" the mind.

ptarmigan --- bird of the grouse family, c.1599, from Gael. tarmachan, of unknown origin. The pt- spelling (1684) is a mistaken Gk. construction.

pterodactyl --- 1830, from Fr. ptérodactyle (1821), from the Mod.L. genus name, from Gk. pteron "wing" (from PIE base *pet- "fly;" see petition) + daktylos "finger" (see dactyl).

Ptolemaic --- 1674, of Ptolemy, Alexandrian astronomer (2c.) whose geocentric model of the universe was accepted until the time of Copernicus and Kepler. Also (1771) "of the Ptolemies," Macedonian Gk. dynasty that ruled Egypt from the death of Alexander to Cleopatra. The name is Gk. Ptolemaios, lit. "warlike," from ptolemos, collateral form of polemos "war."

ptomaine --- 1880, from It. ptomaina, coined by Selmi 1878 from Gk. ptoma "corpse," lit. "a falling, fallen thing," from piptein "to fall," from PIE base *pet- (see petition). Notion is of poison produced in decaying matter. Incorrectly formed; proper Gk. would be *ptomatine.

pub --- 1859, slang shortening of public house, which originally meant "any building open to the public" (1574), then "inn that provides food and is licensed to sell ale, wine, and spirits" (1669), and finally "tavern" (1768). Pub crawl first attested 1910 in British slang.

puberty --- the time of life in which the two sexes begin first to be acquainted [Johnson], 1382, from O.Fr. puberté, from L. pubertatem (nom. pubertas) "age of maturity, manhood," from pubes (gen. pubertis) "adult, full-grown, manly."

pubescence --- 1646, from M.L. pubescentia, from L. pubescentem (nom. pubescens) "reach the age of puberty," prp. of pubescere "arrive at puberty," from pubes "adult, full-grown" (see puberty).

pubic --- 1831, from pubis "bone of the groin" (1597), short for L. pubis os, from L. pubes (gen. pubis) "pubic hair," from L. pubes "genital area, groin," related to pubes "full-grown" (see puberty). For "pubic hair," pubes is attested from 1570.

public (adj.) --- 1436, "of or pertaining to the people," from O.Fr. public (1311), from L. publicus, altered (by influence of L. pubes "adult population, adult") from Old L. poplicus "pertaining to the people," from populus "people." Meaning "open to all in the community" is from 1542. The noun meaning "the community" is attested from 1611. Public enemy is attested from 1756. Public relations first recorded 1913 (after an isolated use by Thomas Jefferson in 1807); abbreviation P.R. is from 1942. Public school is from 1580, originally, in Britain, a grammar school endowed for the benefit of the public, but most have evolved into boarding-schools for the well-to-do. The main modern meaning in U.S., "school (usually free) provided at public expense and run by local authorities," is attested from 1644. For public house, see pub.

publican --- c.1200, "tax-gatherer," from O.Fr. publician (12c.), from L. publicanus "a tax collector," originally an adj., "pertaining to public revenue," from publicum "public revenue," noun use of neuter of publicus (see public). Original sense in Matt. xviii 17, etc.; meaning "keeper of a pub" first recorded 1728.

publication --- 1387, "the act of making publicly known," from O.Fr. publicacion (14c.), from L. publicationem (nom. publicatio) "a making public," n. of action from publicatus, pp. of publicare "make public," from publicus (see public). Meaning "the issuing of a book" is first recorded 1576; "thing so issued" 1656.

publicity --- 1791, "condition of being public," from Fr. publicité (1694), from M.L. publicitatem (nom. publicitas), from L. publicus (see public). Sense of "making something known, advertising" is from 1826. Publicity stunt first recorded 1926. Publicize first recorded 1928. Publicist (1792) is from Fr., originally "writer on current topics;" meaning "press agent" is from 1930.

publish --- c.1330, "to make public," from M.E. publicen (c.1300), altered (by influence of banish, finish, etc.) from O.Fr. publier, from L. publicare "make public," from publicus "public" (see public). The meaning "to issue (a book, engraving, etc.) for sale to the public" is first recorded 1529. Publisher in the commercial sense is attested from 1740.

puce --- 1787, from Fr. puce "flea," from L. pucilem (nom. pulex) "flea," cognate with Skt. plusih, Gk. psylla, O.C.S. blucha, Lith. blusa, Arm. lu "flea." It is the color of a flea.

puck --- hockey disk, 1891, possibly from puck (v.) "to hit, strike" (1861), which perhaps is related to poke via notion of "push." Another suggestion traces the noun to Ir. poc "bag." Puckster headlinese for "ice hockey player" is attested from 1939.

Puck --- mischievous fairy (in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"), probably from pouke "devil, evil spirit" (c.1300), from O.E. puca, cognate with O.N. puki "devil," of unknown origin (cf. pug). Capitalized since 16c. His disguised name was Robin Goodfellow.

pucker --- 1598, possibly a frequentative form of pock, dialectal variant of poke "bag, sack," which would give it the same notion as in to purse the lips.

pud --- slang for "penis," 1939 (in James Joyce), according to OED and DAS from pudding in the same slang sense (1719); from the original "sausage" sense of pudding (q.v.).

pudding --- c.1305, "a kind of sausage: the stomach or one of the entrails of a pig, sheep, etc., stuffed with minced meat, suet, seasoning, boiled and kept till needed," perhaps from a W.Gmc. stem *pud- "to swell" (cf. O.E. puduc "a wen," Westphalian dial. puddek "lump, pudding," Low Ger. pudde-wurst "black pudding," Eng. dial. pod "belly," also cf. pudgy). Other possibility is that it is from O.Fr. boudin "sausage," from V.L. *botellinus, from L. botellus "sausage" (change of Fr. b- to Eng. p- presents difficulties, but cf. purse). The modern sense had emerged by 1670, from extension to other foods boiled or steamed in a bag or sack. Ger. pudding, Fr. pouding, Swed. pudding, Ir. putog are from Eng. Puddinghead "amiable stupid person" is attested from 1851.

puddle (n.) --- c.1330, freq. or dim. of O.E. pudd "ditch," related to Ger. pudeln "to splash in water" (cf. poodle). Originally used of pools and ponds as well. The verb "to dabble in water, poke in mud" (1440) led to sense in iron manufacture of "to turn and stir (molten iron) in a furnace."

pudendum --- 1398, from L. pudendum (pl. pudenda), lit. "thing to be ashamed of," neut. gerundive of pudere "make ashamed," of unknown origin.

pudgy --- 1836, from colloquial pudge (1808) "anything short and thick," perhaps from pudsy "plump" (1754), possibly a dim. of nursery word pud "hand, forepaw." A connection with pudding (q.v.) also has been conjectured.

pueblo --- Indian village, 1808, from Sp. pueblo "village, small town," from L. populum, acc. of populus "people."

puerility --- 1450, from M.Fr. puérilité, from L. puerilitatem (nom. puerilitas) "childishness," from puerilis "childish, boyish," from puer "child, boy," from PIE *pu- "small, little, young" (cf. Skt. putrah "son, boy," Avestan puthra- "son, child;" cf. few).

puerperal --- 1768, from L. puerpera "bearing a child," from puer "child, boy" (see puerility) + parere "to bear" (see parent).

puff --- O.E. pyffian "an act of puffing," of imitative origin. Used of small swellings and round protuberances since 1538. Meaning "type of light pastry" is recorded from 1419; that of "small pad for applying powder to skin or hair" is from 1658. Figurative sense of "flattery, inflated praise" is first recorded 1732. Puffy "swollen" is from 1664. Puff-ball, type of fungus, is from 1649; puffer, type of fish, is from 1814.

puffin --- N. Atlantic seabird, 1337, perhaps connected with puff on notion of appearance, or from some Celtic word (earliest association is with Cornwall and Scilly), and altered by influence of puff.

pug --- 1566, general term of endearment, probably related to puck (2); one of the earliest senses is "sprite, imp" (1616). The sense of "miniature dog" is from 1749; that of "monkey" is 1664. The word at various times meant "a bargeman" (1591), "a harlot" (c.1600), and "an upper servant in a great house" (1847). Pug-nose is from 1778, based on similarity to either the monkey or the dog.

pugilist --- 1790, from L. pugil "boxer," related to pugnus "fist" (see pugnacious). Pugilation "fighting with fists," now obs., is recorded from 1656.

pugnacious --- 1642, from L. pugnacis, gen. of pugnax "combative," from pugnare "to fight," from pugnus "fist," from PIE base *peug- "to stick, stab" (cf. Gk. pyx "with clenched fist," pygme "fist, boxing," pyktes "boxer;" L. pungere "to pierce, prick").

puissant --- c.1450, from M.Fr. puissant "being powerful," earlier poissant, from stem of poeir "to be able" (see power).

puke (v.) --- 1600, probably of imitative origin (cf. Ger. spucken "to spit," L. spuere); first recorded in the "Seven Ages of Man" speech in Shakespeare's "As You Like It." The noun meaning "material thrown up in vomiting" is from 1961.

pulchritude --- beauty, c.1400, from L. pulchritudo, from pulcher "beautiful," of unknown origin.

Pulitzer --- annual awards for distinguished work in U.S. journalism, letters, music, etc., 1918, named for U.S. journalist Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911), publisher of the "New York Globe," who established them in 1917 through an endowment to Columbia University.

pull (v.) --- O.E. pullian "to pluck or draw out," of unknown origin, perhaps related to Low Ger. pulen "remove the shell or husk." Original sense preserved in pull teeth, pull weeds, etc., by late 16c. it had replaced draw as the main word for this activity. The noun meaning "personal or private influence" is 1889 in Amer.Eng. Common verb in slang usages 19c.-20c.; to pull (someone's) chain in figurative sense is from 1980, probably on the notion of a captive animal; to pull (someone's) leg is from 1886, on notion of "playfully tripping." To pull one's punches is from 1934; pull in "arrive" is 1905, from the railroad; to pull (something) on (someone) is from 1916; to pull (something) out of one's ass is Army slang from 1970s. Pullover first recorded 1907. To pull rank is from 1923; to pull the rug from under (someone) is from 1946.

pullet --- 1362, "young fowl," from Anglo-Fr. pullet, O.Fr. poulette, dim. of poule "hen," from V.L. *pulla, fem. of L. pullus "young animal, young fowl." Technically, a young hen from the time she begins to lay until the first molt.

pulley --- 1324, from O.Fr. polie (c.1150), from M.L. poliva, from Medieval Gk. *polidia, pl. of *polidion "little pivot," dim. of Gk. polos "pivot, axis" (see pole (2)).

Pullman --- sleeping car on a passenger train, 1867, Pullman car, in allusion to U.S. inventor George M. Pullman (1831-97) of Chicago, who designed a railroad car with folding berths.

pullulate --- 1619, from L. pullulatus, pp. of pullulare "grow, sprout," from pullulus, dim. of pullus "young animal."

pulmonary --- 1704, from L. pulmonarius "of the lungs," from pulmonem (nom. pulmo, gen. pulmonis) "lung," cognate with Gk. pleumon "lung," O.C.S. plusta, Lith. plauciai "lungs," all from PIE *pleu- "to flow, to float, to swim" (see pluvial). The notion probably is from the fact that, when thrown into a pot of water, lungs of a slaughtered animal float, while the heart, liver, etc., do not. (cf. M.E. lights "the lungs," lit. "the light (in weight) organs").

pulp --- 1563, from L. pulpa "animal or plant pulp, pith of wood." The adjective meaning "sensational" is from pulp magazine (1931), so called from pulp in sense of "the type of rough paper used in cheaply made magazines and books" (1727).

pulpit --- c.1330, from L.L. pulpitum "raised structure on which preachers stand," in classical L. "scaffold, platform for actors," of unknown origin. Also borrowed in M.H.G. as pulpit (Ger. Pult "desk"). Sense of "Christian preachers and ministers generally" is from 1570.

pulsar --- 1968, from pulse, the form on analogy of quasar. When discovered in 1967, they were thought perhaps to be signals from alien civilizations and astronomers informally dubbed them LGM for "Little Green Men."

pulsation --- 1541, from L. pulsationem (nom. pulsatio) "a beating or striking," from pulsatus, pp. of pulsare "to beat, strike, push," freq. of pellere (pp. pulsus) "to beat, strike." Pulsate (v.) is recorded from 1741.

pulse (1) --- a throb, a beat, c.1330, from O.Fr. pous (c.1175), from L. pulsus (in pulsus venarum "beating from the blood in the veins"), pp. of pellere "to push, drive," from PIE *pel- "to shake, swing" (cf. Gk. pallein "to weild, brandish, swing," pelemizein "to shake, cause to tremble"). The verb meaning "to beat, throb" is first attested 1559.

pulse (2) --- peas, beans, lentils, 1297, from O.Fr. pols, from L. puls "thick gruel," probably via Etruscan, from Gk. poltos "porridge."

pulverize --- 1471 (implied in pp. pulverizate), from L.L. pulverizare "reduce to powder or dust," from L. pulvis (gen. pulveris) "dust" (see pollen).

puma --- 1777, from Sp. puma, from Quechua (Peru) puma.

pumice --- c.1400, from O.Fr. pomis (c.1250), from L.L. pomex (acc. pomicem, gen. pumicis), from Oscan *poimex, a variant of L. pumex "pumice," from PIE *poimo-, with connotations of "foam, froth." O.E. had pumic-stan.

pummel --- 1548, alteration of pommel in the verbal sense of "to beat repeatedly."

pump (1) --- apparatus for forcing liquid or air, c.1440, possibly from M.Du. pompe "water conduit, pipe," or M.L.G. pumpe "pump," both from some North Sea sailors' word, possibly of imitative origin. The verb is recorded from 1508. Metaphoric extension in to pump (someone) for information is from 1667. Pumper "fire engine tha pumps water" is recorded from 1915.

pump (2) --- low shoe without fasteners, 1555, perhaps echoic of the sound made when walking in them, or perhaps from Du. pampoesje, from Javanese pampoes, of Arabic origin.

pumpernickel --- dark rye bread, 1756, from Ger. (Westphalian dialect) Pumpernickel (1663), originally an abusive nickname for a stupid person, from pumpern "to break wind" + Nickel "goblin, lout, rascal," from proper name Niklaus. An earlier Ger. name for it was krankbrot, lit. "sick-bread."

pumpkin --- 1647, alteration of pumpion "melon, pumpkin" (1545), from M.Fr. pompon, from L. peponem (nom. pepo) "melon," from Gk. pepon "melon," probably originally "cooked by the sun, ripe," from peptein "to cook." Pumpkin-pie is recorded from 1654. Pumpkin-head, Amer.Eng. colloquial for "person with hair cut short all around" is recorded from 1781.

pun (n.) --- 1662, probably a clipped form of pundigron, which is perhaps a humorous alteration of It. puntiglio "equivocation, trivial objection," dim. of L. punctum "point." The verb is attested from 1670. Johnson has also punster, defined as "a low wit who endeavours at reputation by double meaning."

Punch --- the puppet show star, 1709, shortening of Punchinello (1666), from It. (Neapolitan) Pollecinella, dim. of pollecena "turkey pullet," probably in allusion to his big nose. The phrase pleased as punch apparently refers to his unfailing triumph over enemies. The comic weekly of this name was published in London from 1841.

punch (n.1) --- pointed tool, c.1460, short for puncheon (1367), from O.Fr. ponchon "pointed tool, piercing weapon," from V.L. *punctionem (nom. punctio) "pointed tool," from L. punctus, pp. of pungere "to prick." Meaning "machine for pressing or stamping a die" is from 1628; sense of "a blow with the first" is from 1580. Fig. sense of "forceful, vigorous quality" is recorded from 1911. To beat (someone) to the punch is from 1923, a metaphor from boxing. Punch line is from 1921; punch-drunk is from 1915.

punch (n.2) --- mixed drink, 1632, traditionally said to derive from Hindi panch "five," in allusion to the number of original ingredients (spirits, water, lemon juice, sugar, spice), from Skt. panchan-s.

punch (v.) --- to drive (cattle, etc.) by poking and prodding, c.1382, from O.Fr. ponchonner "to punch, prick, stamp," from ponchon "pointed tool, piercing weapon" (see punch (n.1)). Meaning "to stab, puncture" is from c.1440. Specific meaning of "to hit with the fist" first recorded 1530, probably influenced by punish. To punch a ticket, etc., is c.1440, probably from a shortening of puncheon "pointed tool," from O.Fr. ponchon.

puncheon --- cask for liquor, 1479, from M.Fr. poinchon (13c.), of unknown origin. Uncertain connection with puncheon "slab of timber" (1466), also "pointed tool for punching" (see punch (n.1)).

punctilious --- 1634, probably from It. puntiglioso, from puntiglio "fine point," from L. punctum "prick" (see point).

punctual --- c.1400, from M.L. punctualis (c.1210), from L. punctus "a pricking" (see point). Originally "having a sharp point;" meaning "prompt" first recorded 1675, from notion of "insisting on fine points." Punctuality "exactness" is from 1620.

punctuation --- 1539, "pointing of the psalms," from M.L. punctuationem (nom. punctuatio) "a marking with points," from punctuatus, pp. of punctuare "to mark with points or dots," from L. punctus "a prick" (see point). Meaning "system of inserting pauses in written matter" is recorded from 1661.

puncture --- 1392, from L.L. punctura "a pricking," from L. punctus, prop. pp. of pungere "to prick, pierce" (see pungent). The verb is from 1699.

pundit --- 1672, "learned Hindu," especially one versed in Sanskrit lore, from Hindi payndit "a learned man, master, teacher," from Skt. payndita-s "a learned man, scholar," of unknown origin. Broader application in Eng. is first recorded 1816.

pungent --- 1597, "sharp, poignant" (of pain or grief), from L. pungentem (nom. pungens), prp. of pungere "to prick, pierce, sting," related to pugnus "fist" (see pugnacious). Meaning "having powerful odor or taste" first recorded 1668. Lit. sense "sharp, pointed" (1601) is very rare in Eng., mostly limited to botany.

Punic --- pertaining to Carthage, 1533, from L. Punicus, earlier Poenicus "Carthaginian," originally "Phoenician" (adj.), Carthage having been founded as a Phoenician colony, from Poenus (n.), from Gk. Phoinix "Phoenician" (see Phoenician). Proverbial among the Romans as treacherous and perfidious. Punic Wars were three wars between the Romans and the Carthaginians fought 264-146 B.C.E.

punish --- 1340, from O.Fr. puniss-, extended prp. stem of punir "to punish," from L. punire "inflict a penalty on, cause pain for some offense," earlier poenire, from poena "penalty, punishment" (see penal). Colloquial meaning "to inflict heavy damage or loss" is first recorded 1801, originally in boxing. Punishing "hard-hitting" is from 1811.

punitive --- 1624, "inflicting or involving punishment," from Fr. punitif (16c.), from M.L. punitivus (c.1260), from L. punitus, pp. of punire (see punish).

Punjab --- region on the Indian subcontinent, from Hindi Panjab, from Pers. panj "five" + ab "water." So called for its five rivers.

punji --- sharpened and often poisoned bamboo stake set in a hole as a trap for animals or enemies, 1872, of unknown origin, probably from a Tibeto-Burman language (first recorded in a Bengal context).