Philippine Islands. Discovered by Magellan in 1521, he named them in honour of Philip II. of Spain.
Philistines. The inhabitants of ancient Philistia, or “Palestine.” Because these were continually at war with the Jews, the term has been applied by university students to the citizens generally, and to the preservers of law and order more particularly. “A battle with the Philistines” is but another name for “a town row.” By the people of Norfolk too, policemen and bailiffs, likewise earwigs and such tiny tormentors, are called Philistines.
Philistinism. The name given to that cynicism which sneers at religion. This arose out of the scorn with which the Philistines of Palestine regarded the rites and ceremonies of the Israelites.
Phiz. Slang for the face; derived from “Physiogomy.”
Phœnicia. Called by the Greeks Phoinike, from phoinos, purple, which colour was discovered by the Tyrians and manufactured by them for the supply of all the then known Eastern nations.
Photograph. From the two Greek words photos, light, and graphein, to write. Accordingly a picture obtained by the action of light and transferred to paper chemically prepared.
Phyrric Dance. The famous war dance of the ancient Greeks, so called after Phyrrichos, a flautist of great skill and renown.
Pianoforte. A modern development of the old harpsichord and clavichord, so called because it was the first musical instrument which, by means of pedals, admitted the alternations of piano, soft, and forte, loud.
Piccadilly. After “Piccadilla Hall,” a once famous mart for the sale of “piccadilly lace,” having pica, or spearlike points. Of this pica, the word piccadilly expressed the diminutive. So fashionable was this lace during the time of Elizabeth that when in the succeeding reign of James I. the high ruff came into vogue, it bore the name of a piccadilly, though shorn of its lace edging. “Piccadilla Hall” must have stood somewhere about the modern circus of the same name, since there were no houses further afield.
Pickaninny. From the Spanish pegueno[pegueno] nino, a little child.