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

philosophy --- 1297, from O.Fr. filosofie (12c.), from L. philosophia, from Gk. philosophia "love of knowledge, wisdom," from philo- "loving" + sophia "knowledge, wisdom," from sophis "wise, learned."

philtre --- love potion, 1587, from M.Fr. philtre (1568), from L. philtrum, from Gk. philtron "love-charm," lit. "to make oneself beloved," from philein "to love" (from philos "loving") + instrumental suffix -tron.

phiz --- 1688, jocular abbreviation of physiognomy (q.v.); hence "face, countenance, facial expression."

phlebitis --- 1822, Mod.L., from Gk. phleps (gen. phlebos) "vein" + Mod.L. -itis "inflammation."

phlebotomy --- bloodletting, c.1400, flebotomye, from O.Fr. flebotomie (13c.), from medical L. phlebotomia, from Gk. phlebotomia "blood-letting," from phlebotomos "opening veins," from phleps (gen. phlebos) "vein" + -tomia "cutting of," from tome "a cutting" (see tome).

phlegm --- 1387, fleem "viscid mucus" (the stuff itself and also regarded as a bodily humor), from O.Fr. fleume (13c., Fr. flegme), from L.L. phlegma, from Gk. phlegma "inflammation, heat, humor caused by heat," from phlegein "to burn," related to phlox (gen. phlogos) "flame, blaze," from PIE base *bhleg- "to burn, be hot" (cf. Skt. bhrajate "shines," L. fulgere "to shine," fulmen "lightning," flagrare "to burn;" see black). Modern form is attested from c.1660. The "cold, moist" humor of the body, in medieval physiology, it was believed to cause apathy.

phlegmatic --- cool, calm, self-possessed, and in a more pejorative sense, "cold, dull, apathetic," 1574, from lit. sense "abounding in phlegm (as a bodily humor)" (1340), from O.Fr. fleumatique, from L.L. phlegmaticus, from Gk. phlegmatikos "abounding in phlegm" (see phlegm).

phlogiston --- 1730, "hypothetical inflammatory principle," formerly believed to exist in all combustible matter, from Mod.L. (1702), from Gk. phlogiston (1619 in this sense), neut. of phlogistos "burnt up, inflammable," from phlogizein "to set on fire, burn," from phlox (gen. phlogos) "flame, blaze" (see phlegm). Theory propounded by Stahl (1702), denied by Lavoisier (1775), defended by Priestley but generally abandoned by 1800.

phlox --- 1706, from L., where it was the name of a flower (Pliny), from Gk. phlox "kind of plant with showy flowers" (probably Silene vulgaris), lit. "flame," related to phlegein "to burn," phlegma "inflammation" (see phlegm). Applied to the N.Amer. flowering plant by Ger. botanist Johann Jakob Dillenius (1684-1747).

-phobe --- comb. form meaning "fearing," from Fr. -phobe, from L. -phobus, from Gk. -phobos "fearing," from phobos "fear, panic, flight," phobein "put to flight, frighten" (see phobia).

phobia --- 1786, "fear, horror, aversion," Mod.L., abstracted from compounds in -phobia, from Gk. -phobia, from phobos "fear," originally "flight" (still the only sense in Homer), but it became the common word for "fear" via the notion of "panic, fright" (cf. phobein "put to flight, frighten"), from PIE base *bhegw- "to run" (cf. Lith. begu "to flee," O.C.S. begu "flight," bezati "to flee, run," O.N. bekkr "a stream"). Psychological sense attested by 1895; phobic (adj.) is from 1897.

Phoebe --- fem. proper name, 1390, originally a name of Artemis as the goddess of the moon, from Gk. phoibos "bright, pure," of unknown origin. Masc. form Phoebus was an epithet of Apollo as sun-god (c.1386).

phoebe --- small N.Amer. flycatcher, pewit, 1700, phebe, so called in imitation of its cry; spelling alt. 1839 by influence of the woman's proper name (see Phoebe).

Phoenician --- 1387, from M.Fr. phenicien, from L. Phoenice, from Gk. Phoinike, perhaps lit. "land of the purple" (source of purple dye). Identical with phoenix (q.v.), but the relationship is obscure.

phoenix --- O.E. and O.Fr. fenix, from M.L. phenix, from Gk. phoinix "mythical bird," also "the date" (fruit and tree), also "Phoenician," lit. "purple-red," perhaps a foreign word, or from phoinos "blood-red." Exact relation and order of the senses in Gk. is unclear.

-phone --- comb. form meaning "voice," from Gk. phone "voice, sound," from PIE base *bha- "to speak, say, tell" (cf. L. for, fari "to speak," fama "talk, report;" see fame).

phone (n.) --- 1884, shortening of telephone. The verb is attested from 1889, from the noun. Phone book first recorded 1925; phone booth 1927.

phoneme --- distinctive sound or group of sounds, 1896, from Gk. phonema "a sound," from phonein "to sound or speak," from phone "sound, voice," from PIE base *bha- "speak" (see fame).

phonetic --- representing vocal sounds, 1826, from Mod.L. phoneticus (1797), from Gk. phonetikos "vocal," from phonetos "to be spoken, utterable," verbal adj. of phonein "to speak clearly, utter," from phone "sound, voice" (see fame). Phonetics "scientific study of speech" formed in Eng. 1841.

phonics --- 1683, "science of sound," from Gk. phone "sound" (see fame). The meaning "method of teaching reading" is first attested 1908, though the system dates from 1844.

phono- --- comb. form meaning "sound, voice," from Gk. phono-, comb. form of phone "voice, sound" (see fame).

phonograph --- 1835, "character representing a sound," lit. "writer of sounds," from Gk. phono- "sound" + -graphos "writing, writer." Phonographic (1840) originally was in ref. to shorthand; meaning "of an instrument that produces sounds from records" (talking phonograph, invented by Thomas A. Edison in 1877) it is attested from 1878. The recording made from it at first was called a phonogram (1879).

phony (adj.) --- not genuine, 1900, phoney, perhaps an alteration of fawney "gilt brass ring used by swindlers" (1781), from Ir. fainne "ring." The noun meaning "phony person or thing" is attested from 1902.

phooey --- expression of contempt, 1929, from Yiddish, from Ger. pfui (attested in Eng. from 1866); popularized by Walter Winchell. Phoo "vocalic gesture expressing contemptuous rejection" is recorded from 1642.

phosphate --- 1795, from Fr. phosphate (1787), from phosphore (see phosphorous).

phosphorescent --- 1766, from Mod.L. phosphorus (see phosphorous) + -escent.

phosphorous --- 1629, "the morning star," from L. Phosphorus "morning star," from Gk. Phosphoros "morning star," lit. "torchbearer," from phos "light" + phoros "bearer," from pherein "to carry" (see infer). Meaning "substance or organism that shines of itself" is attested from 1645. As the name of a non-metallic chemical element ["Accidentally obtained from urine in 1669 by Brandt, an alchemist of Hamburg, in the course of his search for the philosophers' stone." OED], it is recorded from 1680.

photo --- 1860, shortening of photograph. The verb is first recorded 1868, from the noun. Photo finish is attested from 1936. Photo opportunity first recorded 1974.

photo- --- comb. form meaning "light" or "photographic," from Gk. photo-, comb. form of phos (gen. photos) "light" (see phosphorous.

photocopy (v.) --- 1924 in the sense of "make a photographic reproduction," from photo- "light" + copy (q.v.). The usual modern meaning arose 1942 with the advent of xerography. The noun is recorded from 1934. Photostat (1911) was a type of copying machine (trademark Commercial Camera Company, Providence, R.I.) whose name became a generic noun and verb (1914) for "photocopy."

photogenic --- 1839, "produced or caused by light," from photo- + -genic "produced by." Originally in photogenic drawing, the early term for "photography;" meaning "photographing well" is first attested 1928.

photograph (n.) --- 1839, "picture obtained by photography," coined by Sir John Herschel from photo- + -graph "instrument for recording." It won out over other suggestions, such as photogene and heliograph. Neo-Anglo-Saxonists prefer sunprint. The verb and photography also are first attested 1839, all from a paper read before the Royal Society on March 14, 1839.

photon --- unit of electromagnetic radiation, 1926, from photo- "light" + on "unit."

photoshop (v.) --- to edit an image using a computer program, 1992, originally in ref. to Photoshop, a bitmap graphics editor trademarked and published by Adobe, released in 1990.

photosynthesis --- 1898, loan-translation of Ger. Photosynthese, from photo- "light" + synthese "synthesis." Another early word for it was photosyntax.

phrase --- 1530, "manner or style of expression," also "group of words with some unity," from L.L. phrasis "diction," from Gk. phrasis "speech, way of speaking, phraseology," from phrazein "to express, tell," from phrazesthai "to consider," of unknown origin. The musical sense of "short passage" is from 1789. The verb sense "to put into a phrase" is from 1570. Phraseology "choice or arrangement of words" first recorded 1664.

phreak --- 1972, originally in phone phreak, one of a set who defraud telephone companies electronically. The ph- in phone may have suggested the alteration, but this seems to be the original of the 1990s slang fad for substituting ph- for f- (e.g. phat).

phrenetic --- c.1374, from O.Fr. frenetike, from L. phreneticus, from Gk. phrenetikos "mad, delirious, frantic," from phren (gen. phrenos) "diaphragm, heart, mind," of unknown origin. A doublet of frantic.

phrenology --- 1815, from Gk., lit. "mental science," from phren (gen. phrenos) "mind" + -logy "study of." Applied to the theory of mental faculties originated by Gall and Spurzheim that led to the 1840s mania for reading personality clues in the shape of one's skull and the "bumps" of the head.

Phrygian --- c.1490, "native of Phrygia," region in ancient Asia Minor; Phrygian mode in Gk. music theory is from 1579. Phrygian cap (1796) was the type adopted by freed slaves in Roman times, and subsequently identified as the cap of Liberty.

phthisic --- 1340, tysyk "of or pertaining to a wasting disease," from O.Fr. tisike (11c.), from V.L. phthisis, from L. phthisis, from Gk. phthisis, from phthinein "to waste away," from root *phthi-, related to Skt. ksitih "destruction," ksinati "perishes."

phylactery --- c.1380, "small leathern box containing four O.T. texts," from O.Fr. filatiere (12c.), from L.L. phylacterium "reliquary," from Gk. phylacterion "safeguard, amulet," properly neut. of adj. phylakterios "serving as a protection," from phylakter "watcher, guard," from phylassein "to guard or ward off," from phylax (gen. phylakos) "guard," of unknown origin. Sometimes worn on the forehead, based on a literal reading of scripture:

Phyllis --- fem. proper name, generic proper name for a comely rustic maiden in pastoral poetry (1632), from L. Phyllis, a girl's name in Virgil, Horace, etc., from Gk. Phyllis, female name, lit. "foliage of a tree," from phyllon leaf," from PIE *bhel- "to thrive, bloom" (see bole). In Eng., often spelled Phillis, probably from infl. of phil- "loving." Her sweetheart usually was Philander.

phylogeny --- genesis and evolution of a phylum, 1872 (in Darwin), from Ger. Phylogenie, coined 1866 by Ger. biologist Ernst Heinrich Haeckel (1834-1919) from Gk. phylon "race" + -geneia "origin," from -genes "born."

phylum --- division of the plant or animal kingdom, 1876, from Mod.L., coined by Fr. naturalist Baron Georges Cuvier (1769-1832), from Gk. phylon "race, stock," related to phyle "tribe, clan," and phylein "bring forth" (see physic).

physic --- 1297, "art of healing, medical science," also "natural science" (c.1300), from O.Fr. fisike "natural science, art of healing" (12c.), from L. physica (fem. sing.) "study of nature," from Gk. physike episteme "knowledge of nature," from fem. of physikos "pertaining to nature," from physis "nature," from phyein "to bring forth, produce, make to grow" (cf. phyton "growth, plant," phyle "tribe, race," phyma "a growth, tumor") from PIE base *bheu- "to be exist, grow" (cf. O.E. beon "to be," see be). Especially in Gk. ta physika, lit. "the natural things," name of Aristotle's treatise on nature. The verb meaning "to dose with medicine" is attested from 1377.

physical --- c.1450, "of or pertaining to material nature," from M.L. physicalis "of nature, natural," from L. physica "study of nature" (see physic). Meaning "of the body, corporeal" is attested from 1780. Meaning "characterized by bodily attributes or activities" is attested from 1970. Physical education first recorded 1838; abbreviated form phys ed is from 1955.

physician --- c.1225, fisicien, from O.Fr. fisicien "physician" (12c., Mod.Fr. physicien means "physicist"), from fisique "art of healing," from L. physica "natural science" (see physic).

physics --- 1589, "natural science," from physic (q.v.) in sense of "natural science." Specific sense of "science treating of properties of matter and energy" is from 1715. Physicist coined 1840 by Eng. philosopher William Whewell (1794-1866) to denote a "cultivator of physics" as opposed to a physician.

physiognomy --- 1390, "art of judging characters from facial features," from L.L. physiognomia, from Gk. physiognomia "the judging of a person's nature by his features," from physio-, comb. form of physis "nature" (see physic) + gnomon (gen. gnomonos) "judge, indicator."

physiology --- 1564, "study and description of natural objects," from L. physiologia "natural science, study of nature," from Gk. physiologia "natural science," from physio-, comb. form of physis "nature" (see physic) + logia "study." Meaning "science of the normal function of living things" is attested from 1615.

physique --- 1826, from Fr. physique, noun use of physique (adj.) "physical," from L. physicus "natural, physics," from Gk. physikos, from physis "nature" (see physic).

phyto- --- comb. form meaning "plant," from Gk. phyton "plant," lit. "that which has grown," from phyein "to grow" (see physic).

pi --- 1841, used in L. 1748 by Swiss mathematician Leonhart Euler (1707-83), from Gk. letter pi (from Heb., lit. "little mouth") as an abbreviation of Gk. periphereia "periphery." For the meaning "printer's term for mixed type," see pie (3).

piano (n.) --- 1803, from Fr. piano, It. piano, shortened forms of pianoforte (q.v.). As an adv., "softly," in musical directions (superl. pianissimo), attested from 1683. Pianist is recorded from 1839, from Fr. pianiste, from It. pianista.

pianoforte --- 1767, from It., from piano e forte "soft and loud," in full, gravicembalo col piano e forte "harpsichord with soft and loud" (c.1710), so called by inventor B. Cristofori (1655-1731) of Padua because the ability via dampers to vary the tone is one of the main changes from the harpsichord.

pianola --- c.1896, trademark name (1901) of a player piano, the ending perhaps abstracted from viola (q.v.) and meant as a diminutive suffix. The pianola's popularity led to a rash of product names ending in -ola, especially Victrola (q.v.), and slang words such as payola.

piaster --- Sp. dollar (1630), also "monetary unit and coin of Turkey" (1611, in Turk., ghurush, originally debased Sp. dollars), from Fr. piastre, from It. piastra "thin metal plate," short for impiastro "plaster," from L. emplastrum, from Gk. emplastron (see plaster).

piazza --- 1583, "public square in an It. town," from It. piazza, from L. platea "courtyard, broad street," from Gk. plateia (hodos) "broad (street)." Mistakenly applied in Eng. c.1642 to the colonnade of Covent Garden, designed by Inigo Jones, rather than to the marketplace itself; hence "the verandah of a house" (1724, chiefly Amer.Eng.).

pibroch --- kind of bagpipe music, 1719, from Gael. piobaireachd, lit. "piper's art," from piobair "a piper" (from piob "pipe," an Eng. loan word) + -achd, suffix denoting function.

pica (1) --- size of type of about six lines to the inch (12 point), 1588, probably from M.L. pica, name of a book of rules in Church of England for determining holy days (1497, in Anglo-L.), probably from L. pica "magpie;" the book so called perhaps from the color and the "pied" look of the old type on close-printed pages. The type size was that generally used to print ordinals.

pica (2) --- pathological craving for substance unfit for food (such as chalk), 1563, from M.L. pica "magpie," probably translating Gk. kissa, kitta "magpie, jay," also "false appetite." The connecting notion may be the birds' indiscriminate feeding.

picador --- 1797, from Sp. picador, lit. "pricker," from picar "to pierce," from V.L. *piccare "to pierce" (see pike (2)).

picaresque --- 1810, from Sp. picaresco "roguish," from picaro "rogue," possibly from picar "to pierce," from V.L. *piccare (see pike (2)). Originally in roman picaresque "rogue novel," the classic example being "Gil Blas."

picayune --- 1804, "coin of small value," probably from Louisiana Fr. picaillon "coin worth 5 cents," earlier the Fr. name of an old copper coin of Savoy (1750), from Prov. picaioun "small copper coin," from picaio "money," of uncertain origin.

piccaninny --- 1657, from W. Indies patois, from Sp. pequeño or Port. pequeno "little, small." As late as 1836 applied affectionately to any small child or baby, regardless of race.

piccolo --- 1856, from Fr. piccolo, from It. flauto piccolo "small flute," from piccolo "small," perhaps a children's made-up word or from picca "point," or perhaps from V.L. root *pikk- "little," related to *piccare "to pierce" (see pike (2)).

pick (n.) --- c.1300, pyk "pikestaff," variant of pike (2). Pic "pickaxe" is attested from 1340. Sense of "plectrum for a guitar, lute, etc." is from 1895; as a type of basketball block it is attested from 1951. Meaning "choicest part or example" is first recorded 1760, from pick (v.).

pick (v.) --- O.E. *pician "to prick," merged with O.N. pikka "to prick, peck," common Gmc. (cf. M.Du. picken, Ger. picken "to pick, peck"), from PIE *pik-/*pek-, an imitative base. The meaning "to choose, select, pick out" emerged c.1390, from earlier meaning "to pluck with the fingers" (c.1325). To pick a quarrel, etc. is from c.1449; to pick at "find fault with" is from c.1670. Pick on "single out for adverse attention" is from c.1370; to pick (someone) up "make someone's acquaintance aggressively for sexual purposes" is first recorded 1698. Pick off "shoot one by one" is recorded from 1810; baseball sense of "to put out a runner on base" is from 1939. Pickpocket is from 1591 (earlier pick-purse, c.1386). Pick-me-up "stimulating alcoholic drink" is attested from 1867. Picky first recorded 1867.

pickaxe --- 1428, folk etymology alteration (influenced by axe) of M.E. picas (1256), via Anglo-Fr. piceis, from O.Fr. pocois (11c.), from M.L. picosa "pick," related to L. picus "woodpecker."

pickerel --- 1388, dim. of pike "fish" (see pike (3)). The -erel suffix was borrowed from O.Fr. -erelle, which sometimes has a derogatory sense (cf. dogerel, wastrel, etc.).

picket (n.) --- 1690, "pointed stake (for defense against cavalry, etc.)," from Fr. piquet, from piquer "to pierce" (see pike (2)). Sense of "troops posted to watch for enemy" first recorded 1761; that of "striking workers stationed to prevent others from entering a factory" is from 1867. The verb in this sense also is from 1867.

pickle --- c.1440, probably from M.Du. pekel "pickle, brine," from a Low Ger. root of uncertain origin or meaning (cf. Du. pekel, E.Fris. päkel, Ger. pökel). Originally a sauce served with meat or fowl; meaning "cucumber preserved in pickle" first recorded 1707. Figurative sense of "sorry plight" first recorded 1562.

pickup --- small truck used for light loads, 1932, from pick (v.) + up, the notion probably being for use to "pick up" (feed, lumber, etc.) and deliver it where it was needed. As an adj. meaning "temporary, ad hoc" (of a game, band, etc.) the word is recorded from 1936.

picnic --- 1748 (in Chesterfield's "Letters"), but rare before c.1800 as an Eng. institution, from Fr. piquenique (1692), perhaps a reduplication of piquer "to pick, peck," from O.Fr. (see pike (2)), or the second element may be nique "worthless thing," from a Gmc. source. Originally a fashionable pot-luck social affair, not necessarily out of doors. Figurative sense of "something easy" is from 1886.

pico- --- 1915, adopted c.1952 as a scientific prefix meaning "one trillionth," from Sp. pico "a little over, a small balance," lit. "sharp point, beak," of Celtic origin (cf. Gaul. beccus "beak"). Picosecond first recorded 1966.

Pict --- an ancient people of Great Britain, 1387, from L.L. Picti (late 3c., probably a nickname given them by Roman soldiers), usually taken as derived from picti "painted," but probably ultimately from the Celtic name of the tribe, perhaps Pehta, Peihta, lit. "the fighters" (cf. Gaul. Pictavi, who gave the name to the Fr. city of Poitiers). They painted and tattooed themselves, which may have suggested a Roman folk-etymology alteration of the name. The O.E. name for the people was Peohtas.

pictograph --- picture or symbol representing an idea, 1851, from L. pictus "painted" (see paint) + -graph. First used in ref. to Amer.Indian writing.

pictorial (adj.) --- 1646, from L. pictorius "of a painter," from L. pictor "painter," from pp. stem of pingere "to make pictures" (see paint). The noun meaning "journal in which pictures are the main feature" is first recorded 1844.

picture --- c.1420, from L. pictura "painting," from pictus, pp. of pingere "to make pictures, to paint, to embroider," (see paint). The verb, in the mental sense, is from 1738; pictures "movies," short for moving pictures, is from 1912. Picture post-card first recorded 1899. Phrase every picture tells a story first attested 1906, in an advertisement for kidney pills; a picture is worth a thousand words (1921), said to be a Confucian proverb, first recorded in a printers' professional journal.

picturesque --- 1703, on pattern of Fr. pittoresque, a loan-word from It. pittoresco "pictorial" (1664), from pittore "painter," from L. pictorem (nom. pictor), see pictorial.

piddle --- 1545, "to peddle, to work in a trifling way," of uncertain origin, apparently a frequentative form. Meaning "to pick at one's food" is from 1620; that of "urinate" is from 1796. Piddling (adj.) "insignificant, trifling" is from 1559.

pidgin --- 1876, from pigeon English (1859), the reduced form of the language used in China for communication with Europeans, from pigeon (1826), itself a pidgin word, representing a Chinese pronunciation of business. Meaning extended 1921 to "any simplified language."

pie (1) --- pastry, 1303, from M.L. pie "meat or fish enclosed in pastry," perhaps related to M.L. pia "pie, pastry," also possibly connected with pica "magpie" (see pie (2)) on notion of the bird's habit of collecting miscellaneous objects. Not known outside Eng., except Gaelic pighe, which is from Eng. In the Middle Ages, a pie had many ingredients, a pastry but one. Fruit pies began to appear c.1600. Fig. sense of "something easy" is from 1889. Pie-eyed "drunk" is from 1904. Phrase pie in the sky is 1911, from Joe Hill's Wobbly parody of hymns. Pieman is not attested earlier than the nursery rhyme "Simple Simon" (c.1820).

pie (2) --- magpie, c.1250, from O.Fr. pie (13c.), from L. pica "magpie," related to picus "woodpecker," Umbrian peica "the magpie," Skt. pikah "Indian cuckoo," O.N. spætr, Ger. Specht "woodpecker" (see magpie).

pie (3) --- printers' slang for "a mass of type jumbled together" (also pi, pye), 1659, perhaps from pie (1) on notion of a "medley," or pie (2) (see pica).

piebald --- of two different colors, 1589, formed from pie (2) "magpie" + bald "spotted, white" (see bald), on analogy of the black-and-white plumage of the magpie. Hence, "of mixed character, mongrel." Technically only of black-and-white colorings.

piece --- c.1225, "fixed amount, measure, portion," from O.Fr. piece (11c.), from V.L. *pettia, probably from Gaulish (cf. Welsh peth "thing," Breton pez "piece"), from O.Celt. base *pett-. Sense of "portable firearm" first recorded 1581; that of "chessman" is from 1562. Meaning "person regarded as a sex object" is first recorded 1785 (cf. piece of ass, human beings colloquially called piece of flesh from 1593; cf. also L. scortum "bimbo, anyone available for a price," lit. "skin," dim. scortillum "bimbette"). Meaning "a portion of a distance" is from 1612; that of "literary composition" dates from 1533. The verb meaning "to mend by adding pieces" is recorded from c.1380; sense of "to join, unite, put together" is from 1483. Piece of my mind is from 1572. The Mod.Fr. form is reborrowed into Eng. in pièce de résistance (1839), originally "the most substantial dish in a meal." Piece-work dates from 1549. Piece of work "remarkable person" echoes Hamlet. Piece of Eight is the old name for the Sp. dollar (1610) of the value of 8 reals.