Although the vast majority of English terms containing the ph digraph have etymologic relations to Ancient Greek, some words are actually Latinizations of terms taken from languages other than Ancient Greek.
Word | Meaning | Etymology |
---|---|---|
Adolph Adolpho Adolphus |
Alternative forms of Adolf. | Old High German. |
Alphard | A particular large orange star. | Arabic. |
Alpheratz | A particular binary star. | Arabic. |
caliph kaliph |
Politic leader amongst the Muslims. | Arabic. |
caliphate kaliphate |
A unified Islamic government. | Arabic. |
camphor | A transparent waxy crystalline isoprenoid ketone. | Sanskrit. |
cipher cypher |
See cipher, cypher. | Arabic. |
Diphda | One of the brightest stars. | Arabic. |
gopher | A type of rodent. | French. |
harrumph harumph |
onomatopoeia. | |
hmph | Expression of annoyance. | onomatopoeia. |
hrmph |
|
onomatopoeia. |
humph | Expression of disapproval. | Possible onomatopoeia. |
Humphrey | Male given name. | Norman. |
Joseph | Male given name. | Hebrew. |
MacPherson Macpherson McPherson |
Surname. | Gaelic. |
Murphy | Surname and male given name. | Gaelic. |
nenuphar | A kind of water lily. | Sanskrit. |
nephew | Son of one’s sibling. | Latin. |
pamphlet | A small booklet of informational matter. | Latin |
phanatic | Hypercorrection of fanatic. | Corruption of fanatic; Latin. |
phanaticism | Hypercorrection of fanaticism. | phanatic + -ism. |
phat | excellent | Alteration of fat; Old English. |
phail | See fail. | Playful spelling of fail; Latin. |
pheer | See feer. | Old English. |
phew | vocal gesture of weariness. | onomatopoeia. |
pheeze | See feeze. | Kentish. |
phfft | See pfft. | onomatopoeia. |
phiph | Hypercorrection of fife. | Old High German. |
phiran | A cloak or robe worn in Kashmir. | Sanskrit. |
phish | To send a deceptive e-mail claiming to be legitimate. | Alteration of fish; Old English. |
phoo | Expression of disgust. | Possible onomatopoeia. |
phoetus phœtus |
Hypercorrection of fetus. | Latin. |
phony phoney |
Something fraudulent. | Possibly Irish. |
phooey | Expression of contempt. | Yiddish. |
Phnom Penh | capital of Cambodia. | Cambodian. |
phreak | Alteration of freak; Old English. | |
pht phht |
Expressions of annoyance. | onomatopoeia. |
phuck | See fuck. | Alteration of fuck; Germanic. |
phunky | See funky. | Alteration of funk + -y; Old English. |
phurba | Ritual dagger. | Asiatic. |
phut | Imitative sound of the release of exhaust. | onomatopoeia. |
phwoar phwoarr |
Interjection of sexual desire. | onomatopoeia. |
prophane | Hypercorrection of profane. | Latin. |
prophaneness | Hypercorrection of profaneness. | prophane + -ness. |
Ralph | Alternative form of Ralf. | Norse. |
Randolph | Alternative form of Randolf. | Norse. |
Rolph | Alternative form of Rolf. | Old High German. |
Rudolph | Alternative form of Rudolf. | Old High German. |
Saiph | A particular blue star. | Arabic. |
seraph | angelic being (Old Testament). | Hebrew. |
sulphate | Any ester or salt of sulfuric acid. | sulphur with -ate. |
sulphur sulpher |
A type of chemical element or a yellowish green colour. | Latin. |
xeraphim | A monetary unit worth three‐fifths of a rupee. | Arabic. |