Glossary of Dune Terminology - P

P

• Palm lock – "Lock or seal which can be opened only by contact with the palm of the human hand to which it has been keyed."
• Phibian – Primitive and amphibious humanoid creatures, a genetic mix of man and fish.
• Plasteel – Extremely tough form of steel, "stabilized with stravidium fibers grown into its crystal structure."
• Plaz (or windowplaz) – Synthetic glass, used for windows (especially in aircraft and spaceships) due to its superior strength.
• Poison snooper – "Radiation analyzer within the olfactory spectrum and keyed to detect poisonous substances."
• Powindah – Tleilaxu term for all outsiders, whom they consider "unclean" sinners and heretics.
• Prana-bindu – Training providing a Bene Gesserit with complete muscle control (Prana nervature relates to nervous system control).
• Pre-spice mass – The "stage of fungusoid wild growth achieved when water is flooded into the excretions of Little Makers. At this stage, the spice of Arrakis forms a characteristic 'blow,' exchanging the material from deep underground for the matter on the surface above it. This mass, after exposure to sun and air, becomes melange."
• Probe, Ixian – Device used to capture the thoughts of a person (living or dead) for analysis; can be blocked by the substance shere.
• Probe, T – Device used to capture the thoughts of a person (living or dead) for analysis; unlike an Ixian Probe, it cannot be blocked by the substance shere.
• Pundi rice – "A mutated rice whose grains, high in natural sugar, achieve lengths up to four centimeters; chief export of Caladan."