per-

prefix

In verbs: denoting the sense "through", as in perforate.

Similar
trans-para-dia-
OriginLatin per- ← Proto-Italic *peri- ← Proto-Indo-European *per- →
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Meanings

per-1

prefix
  1. idiomaticIn verbs: denoting the sense "through", as in perforate.

    Synonyms: trans-, para-, dia-

  2. idiomaticIn verbs: denoting the sense "thoroughly", as in perfect.

    Synonyms: para-

  3. idiomaticIn verbs: denoting the sense "to destruction", as in pervert.
  4. idiomaticIn adjectives and adverbs: denoting the sense "extremely", as in perfervid.
  5. chemistryForming nouns and adjectives denoting the maximum proportion of one element in a compound, as in peroxide.
  6. chemistryAdded to the name of an element in a polyatomic ion to denote the number of atoms of that element (usually four).

per-2

prefix
  1. idiomaticDenoting the sense "by" or "per", as in perchance or perhaps.

Synonyms & antonyms

prefixIn verbs: denoting the sense "through", as in perforate.

Similar
trans-para-dia-

prefixIn verbs: denoting the sense "thoroughly", as in perfect.

Similar
para-
Also see
ana-dia-para-thorough-trans-

Origin

per- · prefix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  3. Proto-Italic*per
  4. Latinper
  5. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  6. Proto-Italic*peri-
  7. Latinper-
  8. Englishper-

Borrowed from Latin per and per-.

Full word history & related roots →

per- · prefix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  3. Proto-Italic*per
  4. Latinper
  5. Old Frenchpar
  6. Middle Englishper-
  7. Englishper-

Inherited from Middle English per-.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

per-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/per-

MLA

“per-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/per-. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “per-,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/per-.

Source: per- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.