- P -

pack ice (n) – Ice that forms on the ocean in the southern latitudes, near Antarctica

packet ship (n) – A boat that travels a regular route, often along a coast or river, carrying passengers, freight and mail; its name originates from the packets of mail it often carries

paddock (n) – 1 : An enclosed area for grazing animals  2 : In Australia, an enclosed piece of land

pademelons (n) – A marsupial species similar to a kangaroo

palapas (n) – 1 : The Spanish word for "palm tree leaves"  2 : Buildings with thatched roofs made of dried palm leaves

palmetto (n) – A palm tree with broad, fan-shaped leaves

panaderia (n) – The Spanish word for bakery

panga (n) – The Spanish word for a small open boat or skiff

Pangaea (n) – The single landmass that made up the Earth’s crust until 180 million years ago, according to the theories of German geologist, A.L. Wegener

panguero (n) – The Spanish word for boat drivers

panhandler (n) – One who stops people on the street to ask them for food or money

panorama (n) – An unbroken view of an entire surrounding area

panoramic (adj) – Having to do with or like an unbroken view of an entire surrounding area

papier-mâché (n) – Paper pulp or newspaper strips mixed with a thin glue-like paste; applied when moist, this mixture dries as a strong, hard surface

papyrus (n) – Paper that is made from the pith of the papyrus plant

parabola (n) – A plane curve generated by a point moving so that its distance from a fixed point is equal to its distance from a fixed line

parameter (n) – A factor or characteristic; plural form often used to describe characteristics measured in the evaluation of something (e.g., a bay’s water quality, an organism’s population, etc.)

parasailing (n) – An activity in which a rider in a parachute and harness is pulled into the air by a motorboat or automobile

parasite (n) – A plant or animal that lives on or in another organism (the host) from which it gets is sustenance, usually at the expense to the host

parasitic (adj) – Of, relating to, or characteristic of a parasite

parasitoid (n) – An insect that completes its larval development within the body of another insect eventually killing it and is free-living as an adult

part (v) – To break or undergo the breaking of (a line, chain, etc.), usually under tension

particulate (adj) – Consisting of very small, separate particles

passage (n) – A journey, especially one made by water

patch reef (n) – A relatively small, isolated coral reef

patriarchic (adj) – Ruled, governed, or dominated by men

peak halyard (n) – A rope used for raising and lowering the part of a sail farthest from the mast

peccary (n) – Any of several piglike, hoofed animals found in North, South, and Central America and having long, dense bristles, a musk gland and sharp tusks

pectoral fin (n) – Either of a pair of fins located just behind the head of a whale or fish and corresponding to the forelimbs of a higher vertebrate

peel (v) – In sailing, this term describes a sail change in which a new sail (spinnaker or headsail) is hoisted while the old one is still working; once the new sail is up, the old is "peeled" away

pelagic (adj) – Of the open ocean

pelagic zone (n) – The upper layers of the open ocean

peninsula (n) – A land area surrounded by water on three sides, but connected to the mainland on the fourth side

pennant (n) – A long, narrow, usually triangular flag

penultimate (adj) – Next to last

pepperami (n) – A sausage-like food

Pequot (n) – A member of the Native American people who lived in eastern Connecticut until conquered in 1637

per capita (adj) – Per person

percentage cover (n) – The percent of a particular habitat dominated by a particular species

perennial (adj) – A plant that lives more than one year

perimeter (n) – The outer boundary of an area

permaculture (n) – An alternative sustainable farming method that combines design with ecology

permeate (v) – To spread or flow throughout

perpetual resource (n) – A resource which is never depleted

perpetuate (v) – To cause something to continue; to preserve from oblivion

persecute (v) – To oppress for reasons of religion, politics or race

persecution (n) – Oppression, especially for reasons of religion, politics or race

personal flotation device (PFD) (n) – A buoyant device which prevents drowning by keeping a person afloat; life preserver

pervasive (adj) – Widespread

pessimistic (adj) – Tending to stress the negative aspects of a situation; having the tendency to take a gloomy view of a situation

pest (n) – A destructive insect or small animal

pesticide (n) – Any chemical used for killing insects, weeds, etc.

Peter the Great (n) – Czar and emperor of Russia who lived from 1672–1725

petition (n) – A formal written document requesting a right or benefit from a person or group in authority

petroglyph (n) – A rock carving, especially one of prehistoric origin

petroleum (n) – An oily, flammable liquid found in certain kinds of rock strata and used for fuel

pH (n) – A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, numerically equal to seven for neutral solutions, increasing with increasing alkalinity and decreasing with increasing acidity

pharyngeal mill (n) – A special set of teeth found in the throat of some fish (e.g., parrotfish) which grinds any skeletal, rock-like material eaten into a fine sand

phase shift (n) – In biological terms, abrupt and/or drastic changes in the variety and number of species living in a particular habitat

phenology (n) – The study of natural phenomena that recur periodically, like migration or blossoming, along with their relation to climate and seasonal changes

phenomena (n) – Events or circumstances evident to the senses and possible to describe scientifically

phosphorescence (n) – Greenish light given off by certain microscopic marine organisms when agitated by movement in the water; emission of light without burning or by very slow burning without appreciable heat, as from the slow oxidation of phosphorous

phosphorescent (adj) – Glowing

photic zone (n) – The uppermost layer of a body of water into which light penetrates, enabling photosynthesis to occur

photosynthesis (n) – The process by which plants and algae use sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to synthesize organic compounds; the process through which organisms turn light into food energy

photosynthesize (v) – To turn light into food energy

photosynthetic (adj) – Able to create food through photosynthesis

phyla (n) – The plural from of phylum

phylum (n) – The second largest categorical level of biological taxonomy, ranking below kingdom and above class, order, family, genus, and species

physiology (n) – The study of the physical and chemical processes that take place in living organisms during the performance of life functions

phytoplankton (n) – Free-floating aquatic plants that make food through photosynthesis. Drifting phytoplankton account for more than half of the photosynthesis on earth. Vertically, phytoplankton are concentrated in the photic zone-the area which light penetrates. Their concentrations are greatest in temperate seas and areas of high nutrient concentration.

pidgin (n) – A simplified speech used for communication between people with different languages

pie chart (n) – A circle graph in which different percentages of the whole are depicted by differently-sized "pie" pieces (triangle wedges of the circle)

pile (n) – A wood, metal or concrete pole driven into the sea floor, used to support a dock or pier

Pilgrim (n) – Any member of the band of English Puritans who founded Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620

pilgrim (n) – One who travels to a shrine or holy place

pilgrimage (n) – The journey of a pilgrim

piling (n) – A group of piles, or supports, for a dock or pier

pilot (n) – A person licensed to direct ships in or out of a harbor or through difficult waters

pin (n) – A peg or rod used to secure a line aboard a ship

pin chase (n) – A shipboard relay race in which participants are given the name of a pin (a peg or rod used to secure a line) and must race to its location aboard the ship

pin rail (n) – A rail where belaying pins are found

piñata (n) – In Mexico, a clay or papier-mâché container, hung from the ceiling during celebrations and broken in a game by blindfolded participants who take turns hitting the piñata with a stick so as to release its contents of toys and/or candy

pioneer (adj) – A plant species that is first to grow in an area

pious (adj) – Having or exhibiting religious reverence; earnestly compliant in the observance of religion; devout

pit trap (n) – A trap in which a hole is dug in the ground so that animals will fall in and not be able to get out; also called a pitfall trap

pitch (v) – To plunge or toss the bow and/or stern of a boat abruptly

pitch (n) – The element of a tone or sound determined by the frequency of sound wave vibrations reaching the ear; the greater the frequency, the higher the pitch

pitchpole (v) – In nautical terms, to drive a ship’s bow into a steep wave, thus causing the ship to flip over, bow to stern

pitfall (n) – A pit used as a trap for animals

placenta (n) – An organ that develops in female mammals during gestation that carries nourishment to the fetus and carries away its waste

placental (adj) – Relating to placenta

placid (adj) – Calm or quiet; undisturbed by tumult or disorder

plaintiff (n) – A person who brings a legal action

planetarium (n) – A building or room containing a complex revolving projector which simulates the past, present, or future motions and positions of the sun, moon, planets, and stars on the inside of a large dome

plankton (n) – The collective term for a variety of marine and freshwater organisms that drift with the current

plantation (n) – A large estate cultivated by workers living on it

planula (n) – The larval stage of a coral

plastron (n) – The ventral (abdominal) part of the shell of a turtle or tortoise

plate (n) – In geologic terms, a large slab of the Earth’s crust

plateau (n) – A land formation where the top is flat or sloping. The elevation can range from a few hundred to several thousand meters. Plateaus are often riven (split) by erosion into deep canyons

plate tectonics (n) – A theory of global dynamics which concerns the movement of sections (plates) of the earth’s crust, continental drift, earthquakes and volcanoes, along with the resulting changes in the shapes and sizes of oceans and continents

platypus (n) – An egg-laying mammal with webbed feet and a bill like a duck’s

plaza (n) – A public square in a town or city

Pleistocene (n) – The geological time period (epoch) characterized by the expansion and contraction of the continental ice sheets and the rise of humans

plethora (n) – A superabundance; an excess

plot (n) – 1 : A parcel of land on which a scientific survey is taken  2 : The arrangements of incidents in a play, novel or poem

plumage (n) – A bird’s feathers

pneumatophore (n) – A specialized respiratory root structure in certain aquatic plants

poach (v) – To hunt game or catch fish illegally

poacher (n) – One who hunts or catches game (or fish) illegally

pod (n) – A small group of animals, particularly seals or whales

point-source pollution (n) – Pollution that has one specific and identifiable source

points-of-sail (n) – Terms of general reference to describe a sailboat’s position in relation to the angle of the wind

polar (adj) – Opposite in character, nature, direction, etc.

Polaris (n) – The closest star to the north pole, used for navigation because it remains nearly stationary throughout the night; the North or Pole Star

political map (n) – A map that shows the names, locations and borders of states, countries and major cities

pollinate (v) – To fertilize a flower by transferring pollen

pollinator (n) – Something that fertilizes a flower by transfering pollen

pollutant (n) – A harmful chemical or waste material discharged into the water or atmosphere

pollywog (n) – In Class Afloat Live!, a crew member who has not crossed the equator and who has not been through the equator-crossing ceremony

polychaete (n) – Any of various annelid worms of the class Polychaeta, including mostly marine worms such as the lugworm, and characterized by fleshy, paired appendages tipped with bristles on each body segment

polycrop (n) – The practice of growing more than one crop at a time; this method is generally used to increase biodiversity and the health of the farm

polyculture (n) – A method of cultivation in which multiple crops are grown together

polygamy (n) – The practice of having two or more spouses at the same time

polyp (n) – An individual coral animal. Polyps live together in groups (colonies). They capture smaller animals that float past them with small tentacles that are around their mouths.

pontoon (n) – A hull-like float used to stabilize multi-hulled vessels such as catamarans and trimarans; they stablize the boat

port (n) – The left side of a ship when facing forward

porthole (n) – A glass-covered round opening in the sides of a ship; provides natural lighting and also ventilation when necessary; can be sealed off to prevent water from coming in

port beam (n) – Straight out from the left side of a boat

port stern quarter (n) – The aft section of the left side of a boat

port tack (n) – Sailing with the wind coming over the port (left) side of the boat

posh (adj) – Smart and fashionable

position (n) – The location of a ship as defined by latitude and longitude (or any other accepted location)

pot (n) – A rigid fishing trap with a small opening through which animals enter

potent (adj) – Exerting or capable of exerting strong physiological or chemical effects; powerful

potluck dinner (n) – A meal to which everyone brings a dish to share

potsherd (n) – A pottery fragment

precarious (adj) – Dangerously lacking in security or stability

precedent (n) – An act, statement, legal decision, etc., that may serve as reason or justification for a later one

precipitation (n) – Water that falls as rain, snow, sleet, etc.

predation (n) – The act of preying on something

predator (n) – An animal that captures and eats other animals; an animal that lives by feeding on other animals

preliminary (adj) – Prior to or preparing for the main matter, action, or business; introductory or prefatory

preliminary results (n) – Results that are based on the initial observations and the partial completion of research and data analysis; they may or may not agree with the final results and conclusions

preserve (n) – An area restricted for the protection and preservation of natural resources

preservationist (n) – Someone who wants to protect natural resources from development by keeping them pristine and untouched for future generations

prestige (n) – Reputation based on success, wealth, achievement, etc.

prevailing wind (n) – Regional winds that generally come from the same direction

prevalent (adj) – Widely occurring

preventer (n) – A rope or block-and-tackle used to prevent the boom from swinging unexpectedly across a boat or ship

prey (n) – An animal hunted and killed for food by another animal

Prime Meridian (n) – The meridian (line of longitude) from which longitude is measured east and west; 0° longitude

prioritize (v) – To arrange by order of importance

pristine (adj) – Pure and unspoiled

privateer (n) – A ship privately owned and crewed but authorized by a government during wartime to attack and capture enemy vessels.

proactive (adj) – 1 : Taking the initiative  2 : Acting in anticipation of future needs or expectations

produce (n) – Something produced, especially fruits and vegetables

producer (n) – An organism that makes its own food through the process of photosynthesis

productivity (n) – In biological terms, fertility or the abundance of life

profound (adj) – Far-reaching; penetrating beyond what is superficial or obvious

progeny (n) – Offspring or descendants considered as a group

prohibit (v) – To forbid by law

Prohibition (n) – In the United States, the period between 1920 and 1933 when the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages was prohibited by federal law

prokaryote (n) – A single-celled organism that lacks a nuclear membrane, such as a bacterium

promenade (n) – A public place for walking

prop root (n) – A root that extends externally from a plant stem into the ground, helping to support the plant (e.g., mangroves)

propagate (v) – To reproduce

propagation (n) – Reproduction or multiplication

propulsion (n) – The act of being propelled forward; something that propels; a driving force

prosperity (n) – Good fortune; wealth

protagonist (n) – The main character or characters of a play, novel or other story

protectorate (n) – A state or territory controlled by a larger country

protest (n) – The act of objecting or a gesture of disapproval

protist (n) – Any usually unicellular organism of the kingdom Protista, not distinguished as animals or plants and including bacteria, algae, and protozoa

protocol (n) – A specific set of rules or operating procedures used in completing a particular task

proverbial (adj) – Expressed in a proverb; of the nature of a proverb

provision (v) – To provide supplies; to supply with materials; to stock

provisions (n) – A stock of food and other supplies accumulated for future needs

proximity (n) – Nearness

pteridologist (n) – A scientist who studies ferns

pueblo (n) – The Spanish word for town

pulperia (n) – The Spanish word for general store

pulpit (n) – An elevated platform, lectern, or stand used in preaching or conducting a religious service

pulsar (n) – A celestial object, thought to be made up of rotating neutron stars, which emits electromagnetic radiation (especially radio waves) at short and very regular intervals

pungent (adj) – Sharp or strong in smell or taste

pungy (n) – An early 19^th century variety of deep-drafted Chesapeake Bay schooner, and the first vessel type to be used in dredging for bay oysters; pungies were later replaced by more shallow-drafted boats like bugeyes

purpleheart (n) – A tropical tree having very hard, durable brown wood that turns purple on exposure

PVC (n) – Polyvinyl chloride; a plastic material used in various forms and for various uses, from rigid pipes to clear food wrappers

pyrophitic (adj) – Needing fire to live

pyrotechnic (adj) – Having to do with or resembling fireworks

python (n) – Any of a genus of very large, nonpoisonous snakes of Asia, Africa, and Australia, that crush their prey to death

Back to Top