# peripheral

> English word · Adjective · IPA /pəˈɹɪf(ə)ɹ(ə)l/ · frequency rank #11,936

## Definitions
1. On the periphery or boundary.
2. Beside the point.
3. Unimportant.
4. Auxiliary.
5. Related to or located in the peripheral nervous system.

## 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
Proto-Italic *-ālis
Latin -ālisbor.
Old French -albor.
▲
Latin -ālis
Old French -elbor.
▲
Latin -ālisbor.
Middle English -al
English -al
English peripheral
From peripher(y) + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **periphery** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peripheral-vs-periphery)

## Common misspellings (15)
`epripheral`, `peirpheral`, `perihperal`, `peripehral`, `periphearl`, `peripherall`, `peripherla`, `peripherral`, `periphheral`, `periphreal`, `perippheral`, `perpiheral`, `perripheral`, `pperipheral`, `preipheral`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/peripheral