peripheral

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *per-der.

Ancient Greek περί (perí)

Ancient Greek περῐ- (peri-)

Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-

Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti

Proto-Hellenic *pʰérō

Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō)

Ancient Greek περιφέρω (periphérō)

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *-ēs

Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs)

Ancient Greek περιφερής (peripherḗs)

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂der.

Ancient Greek -ια (-ia)

Ancient Greek περιφέρεια (periphéreia)bor.

Latin peripheriabor.

Middle French peripheriebor.

English periphery

Latin -ālisbor.

Old French -albor.

Latin -ālis

Old French -elbor.

Latin -ālisbor.

Middle English -al

English -al

English peripheral

From peripher(y) +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pəˈɹɪf(ə)ɹ(ə)l/, /pəˈɹɪfi.əl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

peripheral (comparative more peripheral, superlative most peripheral)

1. On the periphery or boundary.
2. Beside the point.
3. Unimportant.
4. Auxiliary.
5. (neuroanatomy) Related to or located in the peripheral nervous system.
   • 1988 March 1, “Isolation and analysis of the gene encoding peripheral myelin protein zero”, in Neuron‎^[1], →DOI, page 73:

     We have isolated the gene encoding the Schwann cell glycoprotein P0, the major structural protein of the peripheral myelin sheath.

Derived terms

• peripheral brain
• peripheralise, peripheralize
• peripherally
• peripheral membrane protein
• peripheral nervous system
• peripheral oxygen saturation
• peripheral vision

 

Related terms

• periphery

Translations

on the periphery or boundary

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 边缘的 (zh)

• Dutch: perifeer (nl)
• Finnish: ääri-, reuna-
• French: périphérique (fr)
• Galician: periférico m
• Georgian: პერიფერიული (ṗeriperiuli)
• German: umliegend (de), peripher (de)
• Greek: περιφερειακός (el) m (perifereiakós), περιφερικός (el) m (periferikós)
• Hungarian: periferiális (hu), periferikus (hu)
• Indonesian: perifer (id)
• Italian: periferico (it)
• Maori: mōwaho
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: perifer

  Nynorsk: perifer

• Portuguese: periférico (pt)
• Romanian: periferic (ro) m or n
• Russian: перифери́йный (ru) (periferíjnyj), окружно́й (ru) (okružnój)
• Scottish Gaelic: iomallach
• Spanish: periférico (es)
• Swedish: perifer (sv), yttre (sv)

beside the point

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 周边的 (zh)

• Finnish: toisarvoinen (fi)
• Georgian: დამატებითი (damaṭebiti)
• Greek: περιφερειακός (el) m (perifereiakós)
• Hungarian: periferiális (hu), periferikus (hu)
• Norwegian: perifer
• Spanish: periférico (es)

unimportant

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 次要的 (zh) (cìyào de)

• Finnish: toisarvoinen (fi)
• French: périphérique (fr)
• Georgian: მეორეხარისხოვანი (meorexarisxovani)
• Greek: επουσιώδης (el) m (epousiódis)
• Hungarian: periferiális (hu), periferikus (hu)
• Italian: secondario (it)
• Norwegian: perifer
• Portuguese: secundário (pt)
• Romanian: secundar (ro) m or n, neimportant (ro) m or n
• Russian: второстепе́нный (ru) (vtorostepénnyj), подсо́бный (ru) (podsóbnyj)

auxiliary

• Finnish: lisä- (fi), oheis- (fi)
• Georgian: დამხმარე (damxmare)
• Greek: περιφερειακός (el) m (perifereiakós)
• Italian: ausiliario (it)
• Norwegian: perifer
• Romanian: auxiliar (ro) m or n
• Russian: вспомога́тельный (ru) (vspomogátelʹnyj)
• Spanish: periférico (es)

Noun

peripheral (plural peripherals)

1. (computing) A peripheral device.
   • 1984, Human Connection, Making MS-DOS & PC-DOS work for you:

     Check your peripheral's manual for the information you'll need.

   • 1986, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

     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.

   • 1994, Steve Birchall, Upgrading and repairing Macs:

     Turn on the Mac, and check your peripheral. Since you've already installed your device driver, it should be available where you need it....

2. Peripheral vision.
   • 2000, Eric Jerome Dicke, Milk in My Coffee:

     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.

   • 2003, “The Package”, performed by A Perfect Circle:

     Peripheral 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, Kim Louise, The Glory of Love:

     He 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.

   • 2013, Saye Z. B. Zonen, Finding My Frequency:

     As I sat by the window and read, I caught sight of the mailman in my peripheral.

   • 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.

Synonyms

• peripheral device

Translations

computing device — see peripheral device

Further reading

• “peripheral”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “peripheral”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.