Chapter Psychics to Public of P by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Ptilopædic
(Ptil`o*pæd"ic) a. (Zoöl.) Having nearly the whole surface of the skin covered with down; dasypædic; — said of the young of certain birds.

Ptilopteri
(||Pti*lop"te*ri) n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. a downy feather + wing.] (Zoöl.) An order of birds including only the penguins.

Ptilosis
(||Pti*lo"sis) n. [NL., fr. Gr a feather.] (Zoöl.) Same as Pterylosis.

Ptisan
(Ptis"an) n. [L. ptisana peeled barley, barley water, Gr. from to peel, husk; cf. F. ptisane, tisane.]

1. A decoction of barley with other ingredients; a farinaceous drink.

2. (Med.) An aqueous medicine, containing little, if any, medicinal agent; a tea or tisane.

Ptolemaic
(Ptol`e*ma"ic) a. Of or pertaining to Ptolemy, the geographer and astronomer.

Ptolemaic system (Astron.), the system maintained by Ptolemy, who supposed the earth to be fixed in the center of the universe, with the sun and stars revolving around it. This theory was received for ages, until superseded by the Copernican system.

Ptolemaist
(Ptol"e*ma`ist) n. One who accepts the astronomical system of Ptolemy.

Ptomaine
(Pto"ma*ine) n. [From Gr. a dead body.] (Physiol. Chem.) One of a class of animal bases or alkaloids formed in the putrefaction of various kinds of albuminous matter, and closely related to the vegetable alkaloids; a cadaveric poison. The ptomaines, as a class, have their origin in dead matter, by which they are to be distinguished from the leucomaines.

Ptosis
(||Pto"sis) n. [NL., fr. Gr. a falling.] (Med.) Drooping of the upper eyelid, produced by paralysis of its levator muscle.

Ptyalin
(Pty"a*lin) n. [Gr. spittle. See Ptyalism.] (Physiol. Chem.) An unorganized amylolytic ferment, on enzyme, present in human mixed saliva and in the saliva of some animals.

Ptyalism
(Pty"a*lism) n. [Gr. fr. to spit much, fr. spittle, fr. to spit: cf. F. ptyalisme.] Salivation, or an excessive flow of saliva. Quain.

Ptyalogogue
(Pty*al"o*gogue) n. [Gr. spittle + driving.] (Med.) A ptysmagogue.

Ptysmagogue
(Ptys"ma*gogue) n. [Gr. spittle + driving: cf. F. ptysmagogue.] (Med.) A medicine that promotes the discharge of saliva.

Ptyxis
(||Ptyx"is) n. [NL., fr. Gr. a folding.] (Bot.) The way in which a leaf is sometimes folded in the bud.

Pubble
(Pub"ble) a. [Perhaps fr. bubble.] Puffed out, pursy; pudgy; fat. [Obs.] Drant.

Puberal
(Pu"ber*al) a. [From L. puber, pubes, grown up, adult.] Of or pertaining to puberty.

Puberty
(Pu"ber*ty) n. [L. pubertas, fr. puber, pubes, adult: cf. F. puberté.]

1. The earliest age at which persons are capable of begetting or bearing children, usually considered, in temperate climates, to be about fourteen years in males and twelve in females.

2. (Bot.) The period when a plant first bears flowers.

Puberulent
(Pu*ber"u*lent) a. [See Pubis.] (Bot.) Very minutely downy.