Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Related to, located in, or constituting an outer boundary or periphery.
  • adjective Perceived or perceiving near the outer edges of the retina.
  • adjective Of the surface or outer part of a body or organ; external.
  • adjective Of, relating to, or being part of the peripheral nervous system.
  • adjective Of minor relevance or importance.
  • adjective Auxiliary.
  • noun An auxiliary device, such as a printer, modem, or storage system, that works in conjunction with a computer.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of, belonging to, or situated on the periphery, circumference, or surface generally; characteristic of or constituting the periphery: as, peripheral parts; peripheral expansion.
  • noun One of the outer bony plates of the carapace of a turtle: commonly termed marginal.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a periphery; constituting a periphery; peripheric.
  • adjective (Anat.) External; away from the center.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective on the periphery or boundary
  • adjective beside the point
  • adjective unimportant
  • adjective auxiliary
  • adjective neuroanatomy a part of or located in the peripheral nervous system
  • noun computing a device, such as a printer or scanner, connected to a computer

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (computer science) electronic equipment connected by cable to the CPU of a computer
  • adjective related to the key issue but not of central importance
  • adjective on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary; the outer area

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From peripher-y + -al

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Examples

  • I suspect Martha had seen and/or felt these nodes on Bailey as they were enlarged, a condition we term peripheral lymphadenopathy.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • You really know how to put the phun in peripheral parenteral nutrition.

    THE CRAPPY HORROR PICTURE SHOW 2008

  • The team also found that nerves of patients with certain peripheral nerve disorders had defective JAM-C.

    Sticky molecule may hold key to nerve disorders « Isegoria 2007

  • The team also found that nerves of patients with certain peripheral nerve disorders had defective JAM-C.

    Sticky molecule may hold key to nerve disorders « Isegoria 2007

  • Engineers from the University of Pennsylvania warn against an entirely new threat to computer security: bugs implanted in peripheral devices, such as keyboards or mice.

    After me comes a builder. 2006

  • Similarly, blood clots can form in the arteries that supply the arms or legs; this condition is called peripheral artery disease.

    The Fiber35 Diet Brenda Watson with Leonard Smith 2007

  • Similarly, blood clots can form in the arteries that supply the arms or legs; this condition is called peripheral artery disease.

    The Fiber35 Diet Brenda Watson with Leonard Smith 2007

  • Problems in arteries other than those supplying the heart and brain are known as peripheral arterial disease.

    Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause M.D. Vivian Pinn 2006

  • Problems in arteries other than those supplying the heart and brain are known as peripheral arterial disease.

    Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause M.D. Vivian Pinn 2006

  • Problems in arteries other than those supplying the heart and brain are known as peripheral arterial disease.

    Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause M.D. Vivian Pinn 2006

Comments

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  • "I stared straight ahead as I passed the Volvo, but from a peripheral peek, I would swear I saw him laughing."- Twilight, Stephanie Meyer, pg. 52

    October 27, 2010

  • My main goal is to get into a good grad school. Whether it has a good fitness facility is really a peripheral concern. -Manhattan

    June 10, 2014