abbreviation of public address (system), attested from 1936.

also PBS, abbreviation of Public Broadcasting Service, 1970, America English. It succeeded National Educational Television (NET).

also PC; as an abbreviation for personal computer, by 1978; as an abbreviation for politically correct, by 1990. It also has stood for Privy Councilor and police constable, among other things.

also PCP, drug with mind-altering effects, also known as angel dust, 1960s, from the full chemical name, phencyclidine, which was introduced in the 1950s as an anesthetic, limited to animal use in the 1960s, and emerged as a problem drug in the 1970s.

also PDA, by 1992, initialism (acronym) for personal digital assistant.

also PE, by 1956 as an abbreviation of physical education (see physical). Earlier it stood for Protestant Episcopal.

abbreviation of Latin post meridiem "after noon," attested from 1660s.