Meanings
comparative more peripheral · superlative most peripheral
- anatomyRelated to or located in the peripheral nervous system.
We have isolated the gene encoding the Schwann cell glycoprotein P0, the major structural protein of the peripheral myelin sheath.
1988 March 1, “Isolation and analysis of the gene encoding peripheral myelin protein zero”, in Neuron, →DOI, page 73
plural peripherals
- computingA peripheral device.
Check your peripheral's manual for the information you'll need.
1984, Human Connection, Making MS-DOS & PC-DOS work for you2 more examples
Check your peripheral's owners' manual to see at what speed your peripheral transmits or receives information, and then record this on the DIP Switch Information chart in the column at the left.
1986, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, (Please provide the book title or journal name)Turn on the Mac, and check your peripheral. Since you've already installed your device driver, it should be available where you need it....
1994, Steve Birchall, Upgrading and repairing Macs - Peripheral vision.
2014, Bill Ladson, "Zimmerman handles left field with ease -- and no E's" on MLB.com I was kind of looking at the ball, keeping him in my peripheral and all of sudden I see him closing in on the ball.
4 more examples
We hailed a cab. The moment we got in, she stared at me with how-can-a-man-be-so-cruel eyes. I felt her glare, saw some of its fiery glow in my peripheral. The heat made me glance her way.
2000, Eric Jerome Dicke, Milk in My CoffeePeripheral on the package Don't care to settle in Time to feed the monster I don't need another friend Comfort is a mystery Crawling out of my own skin Just give me what I came for Then I'm out the door again
2003, “The Package”, in Maynard James Keenan (lyrics), Thirteenth Step (Hard Rock; Alternative Metal), performed by A Perfect Circle, United States: Virgin Records, →OCLC, Track 1He would hear the coach's admonition, "Always check your peripheral," after the ringing stopped in his ears. But before then, his eyes were fixed on the ball and a possible interception, not the receiver angling toward him.
2003, Kim Louise, The Glory of LoveAs I sat by the window and read, I caught sight of the mailman in my peripheral.
2013, Saye Z. B. Zonen, Finding My Frequency
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveon or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary; the outer area
adjectiverelated to the key issue but not of central importance
nounelectronic equipment external to the circuit board that contains the CPU of a computer
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*per-
- Ancient Greekπερί (perí)
- Ancient Greekπερῐ- (perĭ-)
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰéreti
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰérō
- Ancient Greekφέρω (phérō)
- Ancient Greekπεριφέρω (periphérō)
- Ancient Greekπεριφερής (peripherḗs)
- Ancient Greekπεριφέρεια (periphéreia)
- Latinperipheria
- Middle Frenchperipherie
- Englishperipher(y)
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishperipheral
From peripher(y) + -al.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian периферен, граничен
- периферен (periferen)on the periphery or boundary
- граничен (graničen)on the periphery or boundary
- пределен (predelen)on the periphery or boundary
- маловажен (malovažen)unimportant
- второстепенен (vtorostepenen)unimportant
- спомагателен (spomagatelen)auxiliary
Chinese Mandarin 边缘的, 周边的
- 边缘的on the periphery or boundary
- 周边的beside the point
- 次要的 (cìyào de)unimportant
Dutch perifeer
- perifeeron the periphery or boundary
Finnish ääri-, reuna-
- ääri-on the periphery or boundary
- reuna-on the periphery or boundary
- toisarvoinenbeside the point
- toisarvoinenunimportant
- lisä-auxiliary
- oheis-auxiliary
French périphérique, périphérique
- périphériqueon the periphery or boundary
- périphériqueunimportant
German umliegend, peripher
- umliegendon the periphery or boundary
- peripheron the periphery or boundary
Greek περιφερειακός, περιφερικός
- περιφερειακός (perifereiakós)on the periphery or boundary
- περιφερικός (periferikós)on the periphery or boundary
- περιφερειακός (perifereiakós)beside the point
- επουσιώδης (epousiódis)unimportant
- περιφερειακός (perifereiakós)auxiliary
Hebrew היקפי
- היקפיon the periphery or boundary
Hungarian periferiális, periferikus
- periferiálison the periphery or boundary
- periferikuson the periphery or boundary
- periferiálisbeside the point
- periferikusbeside the point
- periferiálisunimportant
- periferikusunimportant
Indonesian perifer
- periferon the periphery or boundary
Italian periferico, secondario
- perifericoon the periphery or boundary
- secondariounimportant
- ausiliarioauxiliary
Māori mōwaho
- mōwahoon the periphery or boundary
Norwegian perifer, perifer
- periferbeside the point
- periferunimportant
- periferauxiliary
Norwegian Bokmål perifer
- periferon the periphery or boundary
Portuguese periférico, secundário
- periféricoon the periphery or boundary
- secundáriounimportant
Romanian periferic, secundar
- perifericon the periphery or boundary
- secundarunimportant
- neimportantunimportant
- auxiliarauxiliary
Russian перифери́йный, окружно́й
- перифери́йный (periferíjnyj)on the periphery or boundary
- окружно́й (okružnój)on the periphery or boundary
- второстепе́нный (vtorostepénnyj)unimportant
- подсо́бный (podsóbnyj)unimportant
- вспомога́тельный (vspomogátelʹnyj)auxiliary
Scottish Gaelic iomallach
- iomallachon the periphery or boundary
Spanish periférico, periférico
- periféricoon the periphery or boundary
- periféricobeside the point
- periféricoauxiliary
Swedish perifer, yttre
- periferon the periphery or boundary
- yttreon the periphery or boundary
Cite this entry
peripheral. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peripheral
“peripheral.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peripheral. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “peripheral,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peripheral.
Source: peripheral on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.