Etymologically
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peripheral

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Pronunciation

  • /pəˈɹɪf(ə)ɹ(ə)l/, /pəˈɹɪfi.əl/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from English periphery + -al,[2][3][4][5] and Partridge compares French périphérique.[6] The base noun came into Middle English from Medieval Latin periferia, later reinforced by French périphérie, from Late Latin peripheria,[3][2][7] from Ancient Greek περιφέρεια (periphéreia, “circumference, outer surface”), literally "a carrying around",[3][7] formed from περί (perí, “around”) and φέρειν (phérein, “to carry”),[7][3] from Proto-Indo-European *bher- (“to carry”).[3] English had earlier formed the adjectives peripherial (1670s) and peripherical (1690s).[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In anatomy, of parts of the body or of an organ lying towards its outer edge, away from the centre: 1808, in J. Barclay's Muscular Motions.[2][5] Etymonline dates the general sense "situated on the periphery" to 1803.[3]

Semantic evolution

The general sense, "of or situated on a periphery", is recorded from 1849, and it soon took the figurative meaning "marginal, of minor importance".[2][4] The noun, a peripheral part or activity, usually in the plural, appeared in 1891.[2] In computing the adjective was used of equipment working with a computer but not part of it from 1954, and the noun peripherals, such devices, from 1962;[2] Etymonline and Merriam-Webster date the noun to 1966,[3][5] and Dictionary.com the computing sense to 1965–70.[8]

Timeline

  • 1670s – the earlier adjective peripherial.[3]
  • 1803 – situated on the periphery, in Etymonline.[3]
  • 1808 – in anatomy, situated towards the outer parts of the body.[2][5]
  • 1849 – of or situated on a periphery in general.[2]
  • 1891 – noun, a peripheral part or activity.[2]
  • 1954 – computing, of auxiliary equipment.[2]
  • 1962 – noun, a peripheral device of a computer.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of minor importance; marginal or incidental: Those costs are peripheral to the main argument.[9][5][2]
  2. Of, relating to or situated on the periphery or outer edge of something.[9][5][2]
  3. (anatomy) Situated near the surface of the body or away from the centre, as the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.[9][2][4]
  4. (computing) Of equipment used with a computer without being part of it.[2]

Noun

  1. (computing) A device connected to a computer for input, output or extra storage.[5][2]
  2. A peripheral part, structure or activity; usually in the plural.[2]

Word family

  • peripherally
  • peripheralism
  • peripheral neuropathy
  • peripheral vision
  • peripheral nervous system
  • periphery

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ Partridge, Eric (1966), Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, 4th ed., London: Routledge & Kegan Paul
  7. ^ a b c Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
  8. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
  9. ^ a b c Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins