VocabularyCentral.com - vocabulary words

prescience
(n.) knowing about something before it happens
The morning of the big game I had a prescience that we would win.

prescriptive
(adj.) done by custom; unbending
At the heart of the Australian aborigines' prescriptive coming-of-age rite for men is a walkabout.

prevalent
(adj.) generally occurring
Rain is usually more prevalent than snow during April.

prevaricate
(v.) to speak equivocally or evasively, i.e., to lie
The mayor's desperate attempt to prevaricate about the scandal was transparent to the voters.
His mother knew no one else could have done it, but the child foolishly prevaricated about the stain on the rug.

pristine
(adj.) primitive, pure, uncorrupted
The pristine lake had not been marred by pollution.
She had such a pristine look about her, you would have thought she was an angel.

privy
(adj.) private; confidential
He was one of a handful of people privy to the news of the pending merger.
Only the woman's best friend was privy to her secret.

probity
(n.) honesty
The young man's probity was reassuring to the fearful parent.

problematic
(adj.) being hard to deal with; unsolved situation
The constant squeak of the door was problematic.
The tense political struggle remains problematic.

prodigal
(adj.) wasteful; lavish
The actor's prodigal lifestyle ultimately led to his undoing.
Spending his rent money on your birthday present was more than generous, it was prodigal.
The prodigal gift by the poor woman was truly a thoughtful gesture.

prodigious
(adj.) wonderful; enormous
The prodigious festivities lasted until the wee hours of the morning.
The Empire State Building required a prodigious amount of steel to erect.

profound
(adj.) deep; knowledgeable; thorough
It was with profound regret and sorrow that the family had to leave their homeland for a more prosperous country.

profusion
(n.) great wastefulness; a large abundance of
The profusion of the food-fight was unforgivable considering the worldwide hunger problem.
The profusion of uneaten food was sent to the shelter.
The wet winter brought about a profusion of mosquitoes.

progeny
(n.) children; offspring
It is through his progeny that his name shall live on.
The princes were the progeny of royalty.

program
(n.) the parts of entertainment; a plan for dealing with a matter; coded instructions
The free-form music program on Sunday nights is virtually unique in commercial radio.
The program for better health is to eat more vegetables and fruits.
The store's computer program allows sale information to prompt at the register for certain items at certain hours.

proliferate
(v.) to reproduce quickly
Gerbils are known to proliferate quickly.

prolific
(adj.) fruitful
The merger resulted in a prolific business which became an asset to the community.

promontory
(n.) a piece of land jutting into a body of water
The boat hit the rocky promontory, splitting the bow.

propagate
(v.) to reproduce or multiply
Rabbits and gerbils are said to propagate quickly.

propensity
(n.) a natural tendency towards; bias
I have a propensity to talk too fast.
She has a propensity to hire men over women.

propinquity
(n.) closeness in time or place; closeness of relationship
The propinquity of the disasters put the community in chaos.
The propinquity of the two stories was the basis of the teacher's lesson.

propitiate
(v.) to win the goodwill of
If I try my best I will hopefully propitiate my new supervisor.

prosaic
(adj.) tiresome; ordinary
He wanted to do something new; he was tired of the prosaic activities his parents suggested each day.
The only entertainment would be a prosaic game of cards.

proselytize
(v.) to convert from one belief or religion to another
The preacher often attempts to proselytize wayward travelers.

protocol
(n.) an original draft or record of a document
The protocol was given to the president once it was completed.

proverbial
(adj.) well-known because it is commonly referred to
King Solomon's proverbial wisdom has been admired through the ages.