p

The sixteenth letter of the English alphabet and the twelfth consonant, representing the voiceless bilabial plosive sound /p/. As a grapheme, 'P' is produced by briefly stopping airflow with both lips and then releasing it without vocal cord vibration. It is notable for the silent 'p' in initial clusters like 'psychology' and 'pneumonia', a feature inherited from Greek. It functions as an abbreviation for page, a designation for parking, a symbol for phosphorus in chemistry, a musical dynamic marking for soft, and the sixteenth item in a sequence.

• 🇫🇷Seizième lettre de l'alphabet anglais, consonne. Représente l'occlusive bilabiale sourde /p/. N'est pas prononcée dans les groupes initiaux 'ps', 'pn' d'origine grecque. Sert d'abréviation pour page, parking, symbole du phosphore et note musicale 'piano' (doux).

1. The sixteenth letter of the English alphabet A1 formal

   The uppercase or lowercase character (P, p) that constitutes the sixteenth symbol in the Latin-based English alphabet, classified as a consonant. It represents a voiceless bilabial plosive sound. A distinctive orthographic feature is its silence in certain Greek-derived initial clusters like 'psych-', 'pneu-', and 'pter-'. It is a frequent letter, though less common than its voiced counterpart B.

   • The word 'piano' begins with the letter P.
   • The P in 'psychology' is not pronounced.
   • She wrote a lowercase p that extended below the line.
   • In the NATO phonetic alphabet, P is 'Papa'.
   • The word 'pterodactyl' has a silent P at the beginning.

   🇫🇷La lettre p

2. An abbreviation for page A2 formal

   The letter 'p' (or 'pp' for plural) used as a standard written abbreviation for 'page' in citations, indexes, and academic or editorial notes. It directs the reader to specific locations within a book, report, or document. This shorthand is essential in bibliographies, footnotes, and formal referencing like APA or MLA styles.

   • The quotation can be found on p. 42 of the textbook.
   • For further reading, refer to pp. 115-120.
   • See p. 10 for a summary of the chapter.
   • The index entry reads 'Newton, Isaac, p. 45'.
   • She cited the source as (Smith, 2020, p. 22).

   🇫🇷Abréviation de page

3. A symbol for parking A1 informal

   The uppercase letter P, often enclosed in a circle or square, used as an international symbol to designate an area or facility for parking vehicles. This universally recognized sign guides drivers to authorized parking lots, garages, or on-street zones. The color and style inform the user about regulations, such as 'P' in blue for disabled parking.

   • Look for the blue P sign for the public parking garage.
   • The map shows a P symbol near the train station.
   • On-street parking is indicated by a green P sign.
   • He circled the block looking for a P lot.
   • The 'P' with a red cross through it means no parking.

   🇫🇷Symbole de stationnement

4. The chemical symbol for phosphorus B1 formal scientific

   The one-letter chemical symbol representing the element phosphorus, atomic number 15. It exists in several allotropic forms, most commonly white, red, and black phosphorus. Highly reactive, it is essential for life, forming a key part of DNA, RNA, and ATP. It is widely used in fertilizers, matches, and various industrial chemicals.

   • Phosphorus, symbolized by P, is essential for plant growth.
   • White P glows in the dark due to chemiluminescence.
   • The match head contains red P to ignite when struck.
   • DNA's backbone is made of sugar and phosphate groups (PO₄).
   • Fertilizers are often labeled with an N-P-K ratio, where P is phosphorus.

   🇫🇷Phosphore (symbole chimique)

5. The musical marking for 'soft' or 'quiet' B1 formal art

   The lowercase letter 'p' derived from the Italian word 'piano', used in musical notation to indicate that a passage should be played softly or quietly. It is part of a graduated system of dynamics ranging from 'pp' (pianissimo, very soft) to 'ff' (fortissimo, very loud). It is one of the foundational expressive instructions for musicians.

   • The score is marked 'p' so play this section quietly.
   • The dynamics shift from 'f' to 'p' for a dramatic effect.
   • She practiced the passage at 'pp' to build dynamic control.
   • A crescendo leads from 'p' to 'mf'.
   • The term 'piano' literally means 'soft' in Italian.

   🇫🇷Piano (nuance musicale)