The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (59 page)

pregnant woman or other mammal,
which nourishes the fetus through the
umbilical cord, and which is expelled
after the birth of the baby; also known
as "afterbirth": "Many animals eat their
placenta to gain nutrition."

placet glaket) LATIN [it
pleases] noun an expression or vote
of approval or assent.

plaque (plak) FRENCH [metal sheet,
from plaquier to plate, from Middle
Dutch placke piece] noun a flat plate
or tablet of metal, porcelain, wood, or
other material: "The president unveiled a
plaque in memory of the soldiers who died
in the war." Can also refer to an ornamental brooch, ornament, or badge,
or to a sticky deposit on the surface
of a tooth.

plasma (pjma) LATIN [mold, from
Greek plassein to shape] noun the
colorless fluid part of blood or lymph,
in which the corpuscles and platelets
are suspended: "A plasma transfusion
increases the amount of blood-clotting
factors in a patient who bleeds excessively."

plat du jour (pla da zhoor) FRENCH
[plate of the day] noun phrase (plural
plats du jour) a dish that is identified as the dish of the day in a restaurant.

plateau (Plato, Mato) FRENCH [platter, from plat flat, ultimately from Greek platus broad, flat] noun (plural
plateaus or plateaux, platoz, platoz)
a level area of elevated tableland; can
also refer to any period, condition,
or level of stability: "She felt she had
reached a plateau in her life and could not
see any way forward."

plaudit (lodit) LATIN [from plaudere
to applaud] noun a round of applause
or expression of approval: "The cast
graciously acknowledged the plaudits of
the spectators before leaving the stage."

plaza (plaza, lahza) SPANISH [from
Latin platea broad street] noun a
public square or other open area in a
town or city; can also refer to a shopping center.

plebs (plebs) LATIN [common people] plural noun the common people,
the populace, the ordinary citizens.
-adjective plebeian of or relating to
the common people.

plectrum (lektram) GREEK [plektron, from plessein to strike] noun (plural plectrums or plectra,kktra) a
pick used for playing a guitar or other
string instrument.

pleno jure (pleeno jooaree) LATIN
[with full right] adverb phrase with
complete authority.

plenum (plenam, pleenam) LATIN
[neuter of plenus full] noun (plural plenums or plena, plena, pna) a full

meeting of a legislative body or other
association or group; can also refer
to the full membership of an organization: "The matter will be discussed
at the next full plenum of the executive
committee."

plethora (plethara) GREEK [plethore
fullness, from plethein to be full]
noun a state of superfluity, overabundance, profusion, glut, or excess:
"... a plethora of electronic gadgets."

plie (plee4) FRENCH [past participle
of plier to bend] noun a ballet pose
in which the dancer adopts a stance
with knees bent, back straight, and
feet out-turned.

plus ca change (ploo sa shanzh)
FRENCH [abbreviation of plus ca change,
plus c'est la meme chose the more things
change the more they are the same
thing, originally coined by the French
journalist Alphonse Karr (1808-90)]
noun phrase the more things change,
the more they remain the same.

P.M. See POST MERIDIEM; POSTMORTEM.

pnxt. See PINXIT.

poco (p ko, poko) ITALIAN [little,
from Latin paucus few] adverb (in
music) somewhat, to a slight degree.

poco a poco (poko ako, poko a
poko) ITALIAN [little by little] adverb phrase (in music) gradually, little by
little.

podium (p deeam) LATIN [balcony,
height] noun (plural podiums or
podia, p.deea) a dais, lectern, or
raised platform for the use of a public speaker or orchestra conductor
(originally a raised area in amphitheaters of the classical world) : "Several
shots were fired at the podium before
the security men managed to disarm the
intruder."

pogrom (p gram, pograhm) RUSSIAN
[devastation] noun a systematic
massacre or program of persecution
directed against a civilian population (usually referring to massacres
of Jewish people): "Millions died
in the pogroms organized by Stalin's
underlings."

pol (poi) HAWAIIAN noun (in Hawaiian
cookery) a thick purple paste made
from baking and pounding the root of
the taro and leaving it to ferment.

point d'appui (pwan(g) da wee)
FRENCH [point of support] noun phrase
(plural points d'appui) base, foundation, prop; may also refer to a fulcrum or strategic point.

pointe (pwan(g)t) FRENCH [from
pointe du pied tiptoe] noun (in ballet)
a pose in which the dancer balances on
tiptoe (on or en pointe).

pointillism (wanteelisam, pointalisam), pointillisme FRENCH [from
pointiller to stipple] noun an impressionistic artistic technique in which
color is applied in small strokes or
dots.

polder (oldar) DUTCH [from Middle
Dutch polre] noun an area of lowlying land that has been reclaimed
from the sea, a lake, or other body
of water (usually applying to certain
areas of the Netherlands): "Changes in
the climate threaten to return the polders
of the Low Countries to the sea."

polenta (polenta, palenta) ITALIAN
[pearl barley] noun (in Italian cuisine) a paste, dough, or porridge
made from cornmeal (originally pearl
barley or barley meal).

politburo (olitbyooro), politbureau RUSSIAN [from polibyuro, from
politicheskoe byuro political bureau]
noun the executive committee of a
Communist party; by extension, any
group in control of an organization
or state.

politesse (polites) FRENCH [cleanness, ultimately from Italian pulire to
polish, to clean] noun formal politeness, decorousness, good manners.

politico (pahtiko) ITALIAN/SPANISH
[from Latin politicus political] noun
(plural politicos or politicoes) a
politician or political activist: "The union has been infiltrated by politicos
belonging to extremist parties of the left."

polka (polka) CZECH [either from
Polka Polish woman, feminine of Polak
Pole, or from pulka half-step] noun a
lively ballroom dance ultimately of
Bohemian origin, or music written
to accompany this: "She would have
been more so if she had seen her reprehensible brother-in-law dancing a triumphal
polka down the hall with Rose in honor
of having silenced the enemy's battery for
once" (Louisa May Alcott, Eight Cousins, 1875).

polonaise (polani) FRENCH [feminine of polonais Polish] noun a formal
processional dance of Polish origin, or
music written to accompany this.

poltergeist (poltargist) GERMAN [noisy
ghost, from poltern to knock, to disturb, and geist spirit] noun a variety
of ghost that communicates its presence through rappings and the moving of furniture and other objects
rather than through actual manifestation: "The family complained that the
poltergeist was keeping them awake at
night, and they insisted on being moved
to a new house."

poly- (olee) GREEK [from polus
much, many] prefix many, e.g., polygamy, polymath.

pompon (pompon) FRENCH [from
pompe tuft of ribbons] noun an orna

mental ball of wool, ribbons, or silk
worn as a decoration for clothing or
hats.

poncho (honcho) SPANISH [from
Araucanian ponthol noun a blanketlike or waterproof cloak with a hole
that can be slipped over the head:
"When the sky clouded over, the hiker was
glad he had packed his poncho."

pons asinorum (ponz asinoram) LATIN
[bridge of asses, referring to a geometry proposition put forward by
the Greek mathematician Euclid (fl.
300 B.C.)] noun phrase a stumbling
block or a test of ability of understanding.

Pontifex Maximus (pontifeks maksimas) LATIN [greatest bridge-maker]
noun phrase (in the Roman Catholic
Church) a title of the pope; originally the priest who presided over the
principal college of priests in ancient
Rome.

poppadam (p$dam), popadam,
poppadam, poppadum TAMIL [from
pappatam, possibly from paruppa atam
lentil cake] noun a circular wafer of
crispy spiced dough eaten with curry
or other Indian food.

poppycock (ptpeekok) DUTCH [from
dialect pappekak soft dung] noun
nonsense, rubbish: "The major insisted
that he had never heard such poppycock
in all his life."

porcini (porcheenee) ITALIAN [little
pigs] noun (plural porcini) a wild
mushroom with a rich nutty flavor
and a meaty texture.

por favor (por favor) SPANISH [for
a favor] adverb phrase please, if you
please.

portamento (portamento) ITALIAN
[carrying] noun (plural portamentos
or portamenti, portamentee) (in
music) a smooth slide from one
tone to another, especially in singing
or in playing a bowed instrument.

port de bras (por da bra) FRENCH
[carriage of the arm] noun phrase
(plural ports de bras) technique
relating to movement of the arms in
ballet.

portfolio (portfoleeo) ITALIAN [from
portafoglio, from portare to carry and
foglio sheet, leaf] noun a set of documents, drawings, or photographs, or
a case in which these are carried: "The
art student carried his work home from
school in a portfolio under his arm." Can
also apply to the collective responsibilities of functions of a government
official or other figure of authority or
to the various securities held by an
investor in the stock market.

portico (1Ltiko) ITALIAN [from Latin
porticus porch, from porta gate] noun
(plural porticos or porticoes) a colonnade, covered walkway, or a covered

entrance to a building: "It stood at one
end of the main street, its classic portico
and small-paned windows looking down
a flagged path between Norway spruces to
the slim white steeple of the Congregational
church" (Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome,
1911).

portiere (portver, Orteea) FRENCH
[from portiere] noun a curtain hanging across a doorway as a screen or to
keep out drafts.

portmanteau (portmanto) FRENCH
[from portemanteau, from porter to
carry and manteau mantle, cloak]
noun (plural portmanteaus or portmanteaux, portmanto, portmantoz)
a large suitcase or bag: "As he reached
the foot of the slope, an elderly horseman,
with his portmanteau strapped behind
him, stopped his horse when Adam had
passed him, and turned round to have
another long look at the stalwart workman in paper cap, leather breeches, and
dark-blue worsted stockings" (George
Eliot, Adam Bede, 1859). -adjective of
or relating to a term created by combining two other words: "`Smog' is a
portmanteau word, formed from `smoke'
and fog."'

posada (pasahda SPANISH [from posar
to lodge] noun an inn or hotel in a
Spanish-speaking country.

poseur (pozer) FRENCH [poser, from
poser to pose] noun a person who
makes out to be something other than he or she really is; an affected person,
a fraud, a snob, a show-off: "Even his
best friends admit that he has always
been a bit of a poseur." -noun, feminine
poseuse (zerz) a female poseur.

posse (pQsee) LATIN [to have power,
from posse comitatus power of the
country] noun a group of people
recruited to assist a sheriff in times of
emergency, usually to pursue criminals; may refer more generally to any
band of people working together in
pursuit of a common interest: "There
was no shortage of volunteers to join the
posse to hunt down the infamous gunfigh ter."

post- (post) LATIN [after, behind] prefix after, e.g., postnatal, postwar.

post helium (post belam), postbellum LATIN [after the war] adjective
phrase of or relating to the period
immediately following a war.

post coitum (post koitam, post
koitam) LATIN [after intercourse]
adjective phrase following sexual intercourse. -adverb phrase following sexual
intercourse.

poste restante (post restahnt) FRENCH
[mail remaining] noun phrase in Britain, an address written on a piece
of mail to indicate that it should be
kept at a specified post office until it
is collected by the addressee; also the
post-office department that deals with

such mail. The American and Canadian equivalent is "general delivery":
"When I was traveling around Europe,
my parents used to send mail to the poste
restante in each city I visited."

post factum (post faktam) LATIN
[after the fact] adverb phrase retrospective, after the event.

post hoc (posthok) LATIN [after this]
adverb phrase henceforth, after this.
'adjective phrase consequent, after
the fact.

posthumous (oschamas, postyamas,
ostyoomas), posthumus LATIN [from
postumus late-born, last] adjective after
the death of the person concerned:
"Both officers received posthumous medals
for their courage in rescuing wounded men
under fire."

post meridiem (post marideeam)
LATIN [after noon] adjective phrase after the hour of noon, in the afternoon
or evening, between midday and midnight. 'abbreviated form p.m., p.m.

postmortem (post mortam) LATIN
[after death] noun an autopsy; may
also refer more generally to any analysis of an event after it has ended: An
of-icial postmortem failed to reveal the cause
of the accident." -adjective phrase after the
death of the person concerned, after
the event. 'adverb phrase post mortem
after death. abbreviated form p.m.

post partum (post pkrt5m), postpartum, postpartum LATIN [after
birth] adjective phrase following
childbirth, relating to the period
after birth.

postscriptum (postskiptam) LATIN
[written after, from postscribere to
write after] noun (plural postscripta,
postsklpta) a postscript, a note
added at the end of a letter, article, or
other work: "I offered him the report on
the `Suppression of Savage Customs,' with
the postscriptum torn off. " (Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, 1902). 'abbreviated form PS.

potage (potahzh) FRENCH [what is
put in a pot, from pot pot] noun a
thick soup: "Will you take some potage,
Miss ah Miss Blunt?' said Mr. Crawley.
`Capital Scotch broth, my dear,' said Sir
Pitt, `though they call it by a French name"'
(William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity
Fair, 1847-48).