The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (31 page)

Permissive lexicographers, always eager to reflect common usage, may show
perspicuous
as a synonym for
perspicacious
, thereby encouraging writers to misuse the two words. While these adjectives have long been confused by the unwary, perhaps because their spellings are so similar,
perspicuous
and
perspicacious
have different meanings, and careful writers and editors are able to keep them apart. If you wish to use one of these adjectives to describe a person
who expresses things clearly
, choose
perspicuous
. Again, if you wish to characterize a piece of writing or an explanation as
lucid
, choose
perspicuous
. On the other hand, if you wish to characterize a person, a person's thoughts, or a piece of writing or an explanation as
having or showing great insight
, choose
perspicacious
. Show your
perspicacity
by thinking and writing
perspicuously
.

Related words:
perspicuity
(
PUR
-spi-KYOO-i-tee) and
perspicuousness
(p
e
r-SPIK-yoo-
e
s-nis)
both nouns
,
perspicuously
adverb
.

pertinacious
(
PUR
-t
e
-NAY-sh
e
s)
adjective

1. holding firmly to an opinion or course of action.

2. persistent and determined; resolute.

3. obstinate.

Related words:
pertinacity
(
PUR
-t
e
-NAS-i-tee) and
pertinaciousness
(
PUR
-t
e
-NAY-sh
e
s-nis)
both nouns
,
pertinaciously
adverb
.

petard
(pi-TAHRD)
noun

a small bombshell formerly used to blow in a castle door, breach a wall, etc.

pettifog
(PET-ee-
FOG
)
verb

1. quibble.

2. engage in legal trickery.

Related words:
pettifogger
and
pettifoggery
both nouns
,
pettifogging
adjective
.

petulance
(PECH-
e
-l
e
ns)
noun

unreasonable impatience; peevishness.

Related words:
petulant
(PECH-
e
-l
e
nt)
adjective
,
petulantly
adverb
.

piacular
(p
I
-AK-y
e
-l
e
r)
adjective

1. sinful, wicked.

2. culpable; requiring atonement.

3. atoning, expiatory.

Related words:
piacularly
adverb
,
piacularness
noun
.

picaresque
(
PIK
-
e
-RESK)
adjective

of fiction, dealing with the adventures of a rogue.

picayune
(
PIK
-
e
-YOON)
adjective
, also given as
picayunish
(
PIK
-
e
-YOON-ish)

1. trifling, petty.

2. mean, contemptible.

Related words:
picayunishly
adverb
,
picayunishness
noun
.

pilose
(P
I
-lohs)
adjective
, also given as
pilous
(P
I
-l
e
s)

covered with hair, especially soft hair; hairy.

Related word:
pilosity
(p
I
-LOS-i-tee)
noun
.

pinguid
(PING-gwid)
adjective

1. fat.

2. oily; greasy.

Related word:
pinguidity
(ping-GWID-i-tee)
noun
.

piscivorous
(pi-SIV-
e
r-
e
s)
adjective

fish-eating.

placebo
(pl
e
-SEE-boh)
noun, plural
placebos
or
placeboes
(pl
e
-SEE-bohz)

a harmless substance given as if it were medicine, to humor a patient or as a dummy pill etc. in a controlled experiment.

plangent
(PLAN-j
e
nt)
adjective

1. of sounds, loud and reverberating.

2. of sounds, mournful.

Related words:
plangency
noun
,
plangently
adverb
.

platitude
(PLAT-i-
TOOD
)
noun

a commonplace remark, especially one uttered solemnly as if it were new.

Related words:
platitudinal
(
PLAT
-i-TOOD-
e
n-
e
l) and
platitudinous
both adjectives
,
platitudinarian
(
PLAT
-i-
TOOD
-
e
n-AIR-ee-
e
n)
noun
,
platitudinize
(
PLAT
-i-TOOD-
e
n-
I
z)
verb
.

plenitude
(PLEN-i-
TOOD
)
noun

abundance; profusion.

A common error in speech is to pronounce this word as though it were written
plentitude
. An understandable error, but strictly a no-no. Like saying
irregardless
rather than
regardless
.

Related word:
plenitudinous
(
PLEN
-i-TOOD-
e
-n
e
s)
adjective
.

pleonasm
(PLEE-
e
-
NAZ
-
e
m)
noun

an expression in which a word or words are redundant.

Related words:
pleonastic
(
PLEE
-
e
-NAS-tik)
adjective
,
pleonastically
(
PLEE
-
e
-NAS-ti-k
e
-lee)
adverb
.

plethora
(PLETH-
e
r-
e
)
noun

an overabundance; an excess amount.

Related words:
plethoric
(ple-THOR-ik)
adjective
,
plethorically
(ple-THOR-i-k
e
-lee)
adverb
.

poetaster
(POH-it-
AS
-t
e
r)
noun

an inferior poet.

Related words:
poetastering, poetasterism
, and
poetastry
all nouns
;
poetastric
(
POH
-it-AS-trik) and
poetastrical
(
POH
-it-AS-trik
e
l)
both adjectives
.

polyhistor
(
POL
-ee-HIS-t
e
r) and
polymath
(POL-ee-
MATH
)
both nouns

1. a person with knowledge of many subjects.

2. a great scholar.

Related words:
polyhistoric
(
POL
-ee-hi-STOR-ik)
adjective
,
polyhistorian
(
POL
-ee-hi-STOR-ee-
e
n) and
polyhistory
both nouns
;
polymath
and
polymathic
(
POL
-ee-MATH-ik)
both adjectives
,
polymathy
(p
e
-LIM-
e
-thee)
noun
.

popinjay
(POP-in-
JAY
)
noun

a conceited and talkative person.

posit
(POZ-it)
verb

state or assume as fact.

postprandial
(pohst-PRAN-dee-
e
l)
adjective

after a meal, especially dinner.

Related word:
postprandially
adverb
.

practicable
(PRAK-ti-k
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

1. able to be put into practice.

2. usable; feasible.

Do not confuse
practicable
with
practical
, which see.