What’s a Silent “P”?
A silent “P” is a “P” that isn't pronounced when a word is said out loud. It can be found at the beginning of words, in the middle, or towards the end. Examples of words with a silent “P” include: psychology, raspberry, and receipt.
Words With Silent Letters
The English language can be deceiving. There are rules that come with a multitude of exceptions, words that have numerous definitions, and silent letters—letters that aren’t pronounced aloud but are included in the spelling.
You don’t have to look too far to find words with a silent letter. Almost every letter in the alphabet plays the role of a silent letter at least once. Today, we’ll be focusing on one silent letter in particular: the silent “P.”
The Silent “P”
When followed by the letters “N,” “S,” or “T,” the letter “P” at the beginning of a word is usually silent. More often than not, these letter arrangements are found in words with Greek origins. For example, the prefix “psych–” derives from the Greek word psukhē, which refers to “the soul, mind, and spirit.” From here, many words have been created, like psychology and psychiatry, to list a few.
However, not all words with a silent “P,” have Greek influence. In some words, such as raspberry, the “P” became silent over time due to the difficulty of pronouncing both “P” and “B” together.
Words With Silent “P”
Sometimes the best way to learn how to spell a word, especially one with a silent letter, is to familiarize yourself with them. Below, you’ll find a list of some of the many words that have a silent “P.”
Receipt
Pseudo
Pseudonym
Psoriasis
Psychotherapy
Pneumonia
Cupboard
Coup
Corps
Pterodactyl
“Pterodactyls” Stand No Chance Against LanguageTool
Silent letters can be extremely misleading for native speakers and English language learners alike. It is not uncommon for these words to get misspelled. But don’t worry, LanguageTool can correct any incorrectly spelled word, whether it has a silent letter or not. Additionally, this intelligent text editor can also ensure proper grammar in more than 20 languages and suggest stylistic improvements that’ll help you write flawless text.
