Definition of PERIPHERY

periphery

Meanings

Plural: peripheries

Noun

  • the outside boundary or surface of something
  • The outside boundary, parts or surface of something.
  • A first-rank administrative division of Greece, subdivided into provinces.
  • The more anomalous and infrequent aspects of a language, as opposed to the frequent and regular core aspects.

Origin / Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *per-der.
Ancient Greek περί (perí)
Ancient Greek περῐ- (perĭ-)
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
Borrowed from Middle French peripherie. Compare Middle English periferie (“one of three layers of atmosphere (lower, middle, and upper) believed to surround the Earth”), from the same origin, although the Modern English term most likely does not descend from it.

Synonyms

fringe, outer boundary

Antonyms

center

Scrabble Score: 19

periphery is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
periphery is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
periphery is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 19

periphery is a valid Words With Friends word