• P,
p,
the fifteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, the character for which is derived from the ancient form of the Greek II (P or P), as is shown by inscriptions and coins, which exhibit the
P in these forms.The
P-sound, like the
K- and
T-sounds, was not aspirated in the ancient language; whence the spelling TRIVMPE for triumphe, in the Song of the Arval Brothers.As an initial,
P combines, in pure Latin words, only with the consonants
l and
r; the combinations
pn,
ps, and
pt belong to words borrowed from the Greek, with the sole exception of the
pron. suffix
pte.— Hence it often disappears before
t; as TOLOMEA,
Inscr. Fabr. 9, 438.—It has also been dropped before
l in the words lanx,
Gr. πλαξ; latus,
Gr. πλατύς; later,
Gr. πλίνθος, linter,
Gr. πλυντήρ, and others (Corss. Ausspr. 1, 114).—As a medial, its combination with
s and
t was so acceptable to the Latins that
ps and
pt are often put for
bs and
bt; so, OPSIDESQVE and OPTENVI in the Epitaphs of the Scipios; and so, too, in later
inscrr.: APSENS, APSENTI, SVPSIGNARE,
etc., and in
MSS.—A final
p occurs only in the apocopated volup.For the very frequent interchange of
p and
b, see under B.—
P is put for
v in opilio for ovilio, from ovis.—An instance of its commutation with palatals appears in lupus and
λύκος, and perhaps also spolium and
σκῦλον, spuma and O.H.G. scum,
Germ. Schaum, as, on the other hand, equus and
ἵππος, palumba and columba, jecur and
ἧπαρ;
cf., also, the letter Q.—Its commutation with a lingual is shown in pavo and
ταώς, and
perh. also in hospes and hostis. —
P is assimilated to a following
f in officina
for opificina, and is altogether elided by syncope in Oscus for Opscus.—It is euphonically inserted between
ms and
mt: sumpsi, sumptum, hiemps for hiems;
cf.: exemplum, templum, and late
Lat. dampnum.—It is suppressed in amnis for ap-nis from apa = aqua.As an abbreviation,
P denotes most frequently the prænomen Publius, but also stands for parte, pater, pedes, pia, pondo, populus, posuerunt, publicus,
etc. P. C. stands for patres conscripti, patronus civitatis or coloniae, ponendum curavit, potestate censoriā,
etc. P. M. pontifex maximus, patronus municipii, posuit merito. P. P. pater patriae, praepositus, primi pilus, pro parte. P. R. populus Romanus. P. S. pecunia sua.