Meanings
plural peristyles
- A colonnade surrounding a courtyard, temple, etc., or the yard enclosed by such columns.First known use 17th c.
One cannot, for example, see the Temple of Æsculapius as one stands in the fine open courtyard as it was intended one should do; the interstices on that side of the peristyle have been blocked by Venetian Gothic buildings.
1942, Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, Canongate, published 2006, page 143 - A porch surrounded by columns.First known use 17th c.
- voodooA sacred roofed courtyard with a central pillar (the potomitan), used as a space for voodoo ceremonies, either alone or as an adjunct to an enclosed temple or altar-room.
The peristyle is a roofed structure, open at the sides, in which most of the ceremonials and dances take place.
1953, Maya Deren, Divine Horsemen, McPherson & Company, published 2004, page 471 more example
Most peristyles in Haiti have hard-packed dirt floors that can soak up libations when they're poured on the ground in honor of the spirits.
2007, Kevin Filan, The Haitian Vodou Handbook, Destiny Books, page 35
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Ancient Greekπερίστυλον
- Latinperistȳlum
- Frenchpéristyle
- Englishperistyle
From French péristyle, from Classical Latin peristȳlum, from Ancient Greek περίστυλον (perístulon), from περι- (peri-, “around”) + στῦλος (stûlos, “pillar”), equivalent to peri- + -style.
More words from French, Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan peristil, peristil
- peristilcolonnade surrounding a courtyard, temple, etc.
- peristila courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
- peristila porch surrounded by columns
French péristyle, péristyle
- péristylea courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
- péristylea porch surrounded by columns
Irish peiristíl, peiristíl
- peiristíla courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
- peiristíla porch surrounded by columns
Italian peristilio, peristilio
- peristilioa courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
- peristilioa porch surrounded by columns
Latin peristȳlum, peristȳlium
- peristȳluma courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
- peristȳliuma courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
- peristȳliuma porch surrounded by columns
Polish perystyl, perystyl
- perystylcolonnade surrounding a courtyard, temple, etc.
- perystyla courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
- perystyla porch surrounded by columns
Russian перисти́ль
- перисти́ль (peristílʹ)a courtyard; the space surrounded by a colonnade
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
peristyle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peristyle
“peristyle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peristyle. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “peristyle,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peristyle.
Source: peristyle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.