The silent letter P appears in many English words, especially those from Greek and Latin. In this guide, you’ll learn why the P is not pronounced, see common silent P words, and practice with real examples.
What Is a Silent Letter P?
Definition
A silent letter P means the letter P is written but not pronounced in a word. The spelling keeps the P, but when you speak, you do not say the P sound.
Examples:
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psychology → /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/ → the P is silent
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receipt → /rɪˈsiːt/ → the P disappears in speech
Silent P can feel strange at first, but it follows patterns you can learn easily.
Why Does P Become Silent?
There are two main reasons:
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From Greek or Latin: Words starting with ps-, pn-, or pt- often kept the P in spelling but dropped the sound.
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Simplified pronunciation: Over time, saying the P was too hard in some word combinations, so English speakers stopped pronouncing it.
Common Rules for Silent Letter P
1. Silent P in “PS-” Words (at the beginning)
When a word starts with ps-, the P is silent and we only pronounce the S sound.
Examples:
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psychology → /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/
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psycho → /ˈsaɪkoʊ/
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psychiatry → /saɪˈkaɪətri/
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psychic → /ˈsaɪkɪk/
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psalm → /sɑːm/ (similar pattern to silent L)
2. Silent P in “PN-” Words
The P is not pronounced when it appears before N at the beginning of words.
Examples:
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pneumonia → /njuːˈmoʊniə/
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pneumatic → /njuːˈmætɪk/
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pneumonía (medical term)
3. Silent P in “PT-” Words
Some English words with Greek roots start with pt-, and the P is silent.
Examples:
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pterodactyl → /ˌtɛrəˈdæktɪl/
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ptosis → /ˈtoʊsɪs/ (medical term)
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pterosaur → /ˈtɛrəsɔːr/
4. Silent P Before “S” in the Middle of Words
Here, P is written but not spoken.
Examples:
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receipt → /rɪˈsiːt/
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corps → /kɔːr/
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coup → /kuː/
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raspberry → /ˈræzberi/
List of Silent P Words
| Word | IPA | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| psychology | /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/ | I study psychology at university. |
| psychiatrist | /saɪˈkaɪətrɪst/ | She wants to be a psychiatrist. |
| psychiatry | /saɪˈkaɪətri/ | He works in psychiatry. |
| psychic | /ˈsaɪkɪk/ | She claims to be psychic. |
| psycho | /ˈsaɪkoʊ/ | Don’t call people psycho. |
| psychotherapy | /ˌsaɪkoʊˈθerəpi/ | He is in psychotherapy. |
| psalm | /sɑːm/ | They sang a psalm in church. |
| psalter | /ˈsɔːltər/ | He read from the psalter. |
| psaltery | /ˈsɔːltəri/ | The musician played the psaltery. |
| pneumonia | /njuːˈmoʊniə/ | He was sick with pneumonia. |
| pneumatic | /njuːˈmætɪk/ | They used a pneumatic drill. |
| pneumonic | /njuːˈmɒnɪk/ | Pneumonic infection spreads fast. |
| pterodactyl | /ˌtɛrəˈdæktɪl/ | Kids love the pterodactyl exhibit. |
| pterosaur | /ˈtɛrəsɔːr/ | The pterosaur had large wings. |
| ptosis | /ˈtoʊsɪs/ | The doctor diagnosed ptosis. |
| ptolemy | /ˈtɒləmi/ | Ptolemy was an ancient astronomer. |
| psoriases | /səˈraɪəsiːz/ | Psoriasis affects the skin. |
| pseudonym | /ˈsuːdənɪm/ | The writer used a pseudonym. |
| pseudo | /ˈsuːdoʊ/ | That idea sounds pseudo-intellectual. |
| pseudoscience | /ˌsuːdoʊˈsaɪəns/ | Astrology is often called pseudoscience. |
| receipt | /rɪˈsiːt/ | Keep the receipt after paying. |
| raspberry | /ˈræzberi/ | She made raspberry jam. |
| corps | /kɔːr/ | He joined the marine corps. |
| coup | /kuː/ | It was a political coup. |
Practice with Silent P
Reading Practice
Read the passage aloud. Notice how the letter P is written but not pronounced.
Last week, I had to show my receipt at the store. My friend is studying psychology, and she told me about a case of pneumonia in her class. Later, we bought raspberry smoothies and joked about seeing a psychic one day.