variants often P
plural p's or ps ˈpēz How to pronounce p (audio) ; often P's or Ps
often attributive
1
a
: the 16th letter of the English alphabet
b
: a graphic representation of this letter
c
: a speech counterpart of orthographic p
2
: a graphic device for reproducing the letter p
3
: one designated p especially as the 16th in order or class
4
[abbreviation for pass]
a
: a grade rating a student's work as passing
b
: one graded or rated with a P
5
: something shaped like the letter P

p

2 of 5

abbreviation (1)

1
page; pages
2
parental generation
3
part
4
participle
5
past
6
pater
7
pawn
8
pence; penny
9
per
10
peseta
11
peso
12
petite
13
piano
14
pico-
15
pint
16
pipe
17
pitch
18
pole
19
port
20
power
21
pro
22
progressive
23
proton
24
purl

P

3 of 5

abbreviation (2)

1
pressure
2
[French poids] weight

P

4 of 5

symbol

phosphorus

p-

5 of 5

abbreviation (3)

para-

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Words Starting With P

Browse 30,821 words and phrases that start with the letter P, from pa to pyx-jury.

Examples of p in a Sentence

Noun a word that starts with a p a word that starts with p
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For all the bond market ructions, the S & P 500 remaining near all-time highs in September suggests that momentum is on the market’s side, just as the calendar nears what is historically the best quarter of the year. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026 The Música Mexicana star is followed by Tito Double P with 15 mentions, Fuerza Regida with 12, Karol G with nine, Prince Royce with eight, and Bad Bunny with seven. — Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2026 Those are added on top of four P-cores and six E-cores for a total of 12 CPU cores. — ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026 Chemical tests showed the nanoparticles formed strong Zr–O–P bonds with the monolayer, creating a dual-anchoring network that holds the interface firmly together. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for p

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of p was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“P.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/p. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

p

noun
ˈpē
often capitalized
: the 16th letter of the English alphabet

Medical Definition

P

1 of 3 abbreviation
1
parental
2
part
3
percentile
4
pharmacopoeia
5
pint
6
pole
7
population
8
position
9
positive
10
posterior
11
pressure
12
pulse
13
pupil

P

2 of 3 symbol
phosphorus

p-

3 of 3 abbreviation
para-
p-dichlorobenzene
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