| phenobarbital |
an odorless white crystalline powder that is used as a sedative, hypnotic, and antispasmodic. |
| phenocopy |
an environmentally produced change in an organism, similar to a mutation but nonhereditary. |
| phenocryst |
a large and usu. conspicuous crystal embedded in volcanic rock containing many such crystals. |
| phenol |
a poisonous white acidic compound found in the tars of wood and coal, or derived from benzene, and used primarily as a disinfectant or antiseptic. [2 definitions] |
| phenolphthalein |
a white or pale yellow crystalline powder that is used in making dyes and as an acid-base indicator and a laxative. |
| phenom |
(slang) an outstandingly talented person, esp. in sports or music. |
| phenomena |
a pl. of phenomenon. |
| phenomenal |
amazing or extraordinary. [3 definitions] |
| phenomenology |
the philosophical study of phenomena, esp. of subjective perceptual experience, as distinguished from ontology, the study of being. |
| phenomenon |
a perceptible occurrence or fact. [3 definitions] |
| phenothiazine |
a greenish organic compound used to expel intestinal worms in domestic animals, as an insecticide, and in the synthesis of tranquilizers. |
| phenotype |
the observable traits of an individual or group, esp. as a function of genetic composition and environment. (Cf. genotype.) [2 definitions] |
| phenyl |
the monovalent radical that forms the basis of several aromatic compounds, such as benzene, phenol, and aniline. |
| phenylalanine |
an essential amino acid that is a constituent of many proteins. |
| phenylketonuria |
see "PKU." |
| pheromone |
any of a group of chemical substances produced by an animal to elicit a response or behavior from another animal of the same species. |
| phew |
a breathy exhalation used to express exhaustion, relief, disgust, or surprise. |
| phi |
the name of the twenty-first letter of the Greek alphabet. |
| phial |
a small, often cylindrical container for liquids; vial. |
| Phi Beta Kappa |
a national honor society whose members are chosen annually from among undergraduates in the arts and sciences who have achieved academic distinction. [2 definitions] |
| Philadelphia |
a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, the largest city in the state and one of the most populous in the U.S., important as a government center during the Revolutionary War and home to Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and The U.S. Constitution were signed. |