peripheral

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /pəˈɹɪf(ə)ɹ(ə)l/ UK /pəˈɹɪf(ə)ɹ(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Freq #26656

Meanings

1

adj
situated near the edge or outer part of something

The injury affected peripheral tissue rather than the central structure.
2

adj
secondary or not central to the main issue

The committee treated that concern as peripheral to the decision.
3

noun
a device connected to a computer, such as a keyboard, printer, or external drive

The operating system detected the new peripheral.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · situated near the edge or... outer marginal

2 adj · secondary or not central to... secondary incidental

3 noun · a device connected to a... peripheral device

Word family

Derived forms centroperipheralentoperipheralepiperipheralmidperipheralnonperipheralperipheraliseperipheralismperipheralistperipheralityperipheralizeperipherallyperipheralness

Related forms periphery

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

peripheral vision
sight of things outside the central area on which the eyes are focused

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From periphery + -al. Periphery came through French and Latin from Greek periphereia ("circumference"), from peri- ("around") + pherein ("to carry").

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# peripheral

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /pəˈɹɪf(ə)ɹ(ə)l/
**IPA (UK):** /pəˈɹɪf(ə)ɹ(ə)l/
**Frequency rank:** 26656

## Meanings
1. situated near the edge or outer part of something
2. secondary or not central to the main issue
3. a device connected to a computer, such as a keyboard, printer, or external drive

## Examples
- The injury affected peripheral tissue rather than the central structure.
- The committee treated that concern as peripheral to the decision.
- The operating system detected the new peripheral.

## Synonyms
- outer
- marginal
- secondary
- incidental
- peripheral device

## Derived Forms
- centroperipheral
- entoperipheral
- epiperipheral
- midperipheral
- nonperipheral
- peripheralise
- peripheralism
- peripheralist
- peripherality
- peripheralize
- peripherally
- peripheralness

## Related Forms
- periphery

## Roots and Affixes
- Affix: peri- - around

## Etymology
From periphery + -al. Periphery came through French and Latin from Greek periphereia ("circumference"), from peri- ("around") + pherein ("to carry").

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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