Word list — P
Verdict: style
Write PaaS as the acronym for platform as a service.
Verdict: acceptable
Use page directly for a screen or document view rather than a longer phrase.
parent/child
Section titled “parent/child”Verdict: avoid
Use parent-child with a hyphen instead of a slash. The slash form can be mistaken for an either/or choice.
- Replacements: parent-child
Verdict: avoid
The abbreviation is ambiguous, so name the actual platform: computer, Windows computer, Linux computer, Mac, or a specific product line.
Verdict: prefer
Use per to describe rates and ratios instead of using a forward slash or the phrase as per.
performant
Section titled “performant”Verdict: avoid
An informal, nonstandard word that dresses up a plain claim. State the actual behavior, such as faster or lower-latency, instead.
permissions
Section titled “permissions”Verdict: restricted
Use permissions for the specific operations an account or process is allowed to perform on a resource, such as read, write, or delete, and for the settings that control those operations, as in read permission or the file’s permissions. When you mean the general ability to use a resource rather than the specific operations, use access instead.
persist
Section titled “persist”Verdict: restricted
Do not use as a transitive verb.
Verdict: restricted
Use ping only when referring to using the PING network protocol. Do not use ping as slang for requesting a follow up response in a workplace.
Verdict: avoid
Use send the output to instead.
plain text
Section titled “plain text”Verdict: restricted
Use plain text for unformatted text. Reserve plaintext for cryptography, where it contrasts with ciphertext.
- Alternatives: plaintext
please
Section titled “please”Verdict: avoid
Makes instructions sound like optional requests without adding additional information. Do not use for instructional information. Only use when sending requests to readers. For example, please fill out this optional form.
plug-and-play
Section titled “plug-and-play”Verdict: style
Use plug-and-play for the adjective before a noun. Reserve Plug and Play for the Windows specification.
- Alternatives: Plug and Play, plug and play
plugin
Section titled “plugin”Verdict: style
Use plugin for the noun and modifier, and plug in for the verb. Keep it distinct from add-in and add-on, which have different meanings.
- Alternatives: plug in, plug-in
power down
Section titled “power down”Verdict: style
Use power down for the verb, and power-down as a modifier before a noun.
- Alternatives: power-down
power up
Section titled “power up”Verdict: style
Use power up for the verb, and power-up as a modifier before a noun.
- Alternatives: power-up
privileges
Section titled “privileges”Verdict: restricted
Use privileges for elevated or special rights that go beyond ordinary permissions, such as administrative actions or the security principle of least privilege. In most SQL databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle), privileges is also the correct term for granted operations such as SELECT or INSERT, although Microsoft SQL Server calls those permissions.
prompt
Section titled “prompt”Verdict: restricted · Form: noun, verb, adjective
Use prompt for AI model input, where it’s the established term. For interface messages that ask the user to act, message or a direct instruction is clearer.
Verdict: restricted
Use prop in component-framework documentation where it’s required; otherwise, use property for general object properties.
- Replacements: property
property
Section titled “property”Verdict: acceptable
Don’t replace property with prop except when it is required by a component framework.