<B>peripheral, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>having to do with, situated in, or forming an outside boundary. <BR> <I>Ex. More houses and parks were to be seen in the peripheral areas of the city.</I> <DD><B> 2a. </B>of the surface or outer part of a body; external. <DD><B> b. </B>perceived or perceiving near the outer edges of the retina. <BR> <I>Ex. peripheral vision.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>of or having to do with the peripheral nervous system. <BR> <I>Ex. peripheral neurons.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>of or having to do with computer peripherals. <BR> <I>Ex. Many vital pieces of equipment that go into a computer installation are not made in Europe. These units, which come under the heading of peripheral equipment, are becoming more and more important (London Times).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> any part of the electromechanical equipment of a computer, such as magnetic tape, high-speed printers, keyboards, and display units. adv. <B>peripherally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="peripheralnervoussystem">
<B>peripheral nervous system,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the part of the nervous system of vertebrates that branches from the central nervous system, especially the cranial and spinal nerves, and the nerves of the autonomic nervous system. </DL>
<A NAME="periphery">
<B>periphery, </B>noun, pl. <B>-eries.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an outside boundary. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Geometry.) <DD><B> a. </B>the circumference of a circle or other closed curve. <DD><B> b. </B>the sum of the sides of a polygon. <DD><B> c. </B>the length of, or the boundary line of, any closed plane figure. <DD><B> d. </B>the surface of a solid figure. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Anatomy.) the region in which nerves end. </DL>
<A NAME="periphonic">
<B>periphonic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with an omnidirectional sound system. </DL>
<A NAME="periphrasis">
<B>periphrasis, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ses.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a roundabout way of speaking or writing; circumlocution. <BR> <I>Ex. "The wife of your father's brother" is a periphrasis for "your aunt."</I> </DL>
<A NAME="periphrastic">
<B>periphrastic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>expressed in a roundabout way. <BR> <I>Ex. A periphrastic study in a worn-out poetical fashion (T. S. Eliot).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Grammar.) formed by using auxiliaries or particles rather than inflection. (Examples:) <I>of John</I> (periphrastic genitive) rather than <I>John's; did run</I> (periphrastic conjugation) rather than <I>ran.</I> adv. <B>periphrastically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="periphyton">
<B>periphyton, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a complex colony of microscopic algae, insect larvae, small crustaceans, and other organisms that form a thick layer, as on the bottom of swamps and marshes, covering the stems of plants. The periphyton is a dominant biological complex in the Florida Everglades. </DL>
<A NAME="periplast">
<B>periplast, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Biology.) a cell wall or cell membrane. </DL>
<A NAME="periproct">
<B>periproct, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the part of the body of various invertebrates which surrounds the anus. <BR> <I>Ex. the periproct of an echinoderm.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="peripteral">
<B>peripteral, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> surrounded by a single row of columns, as a temple. </DL>
<A NAME="periptery">
<B>periptery, </B>noun, pl. <B>-teries.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the air immediately surrounding a flying or falling object, such as a bird, aircraft, or bomb, containing cyclic or vertical air disturbances. <DD><B> 2. </B>a peripteral building. </DL>
<A NAME="perique">
<B>perique, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a strongly flavored, dark tobacco grown in Louisiana. <BR> <I>Ex. Perique, prized because of its rich flavor, is cured by putting the leaves under great pressure (Roy Flannagan).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="perisarc">
<B>perisarc, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the external horny or chitinous covering of certain hydrozoans. </DL>
<A NAME="periscope">
<B>periscope, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an instrument that allows those in a submarine or trench to see a view of the surface. It is a tube with an arrangement of prisms or mirrors that reflect light rays down a vertical tube. The periscope works on the principle that the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence. <DD><B> 2. </B>a periscopic lens. adj. <B>periscopelike.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="periscopic">
<B>periscopic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>giving distinct vision obliquely as well as in a direct line. <BR> <I>Ex. a periscopic lens.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with periscopes. </DL>
<A NAME="periselenium">
<B>periselenium, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the point in an elliptical orbit around the moon that is closest to the moon. </DL>
<A NAME="perish">
<B>perish, </B>intransitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to be destroyed; die. <BR> <I>Ex. Buildings perish in flames. Soldiers perish in battle. Flowers perish when frost comes. I felt ready to perish with cold.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to come to ruin morally or spiritually; come to an end. <BR> <I>Ex. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:3).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>(Dialect.) to injure severely. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Archaic.) to put an end to; destroy; kill. <BR> <I>Ex. We charm man's life and do not perish it (Thomas Hood).</I> </DL>
<B>perishable, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>liable to spoil or decay. <BR> <I>Ex. Fruit is perishable.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>liable to perish; that perishes. <BR> <I>Ex. the perishable enthusiasm of youth.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> Usually, <B>perishables,</B> something perishable, especially food, flowers, or the like. noun <B>perishableness.</B> </DL>
<B>perispore, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the outer membrane or covering of a spore. </DL>
<A NAME="perissad">
<B>perissad, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> an atom or element whose valence is expressed by an odd number. <DD><I>adj. </I> having the valence expressed by an odd number. </DL>
<A NAME="perissodactyl">
<B>perissodactyl</B> or <B>perissodactyle, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) <DD><I>noun </I> any one of a large order of quadruped mammals having an odd number of hoofed toes on each foot, the third being the largest and sometimes the only functional one. Horses, tapirs, and rhinoceroses belong to this order. <DD><I>adj. </I> having an uneven number of toes. </DL>
<A NAME="peristalsis">
<B>peristalsis, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ses.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a movement in the wall of a hollow organ by which its contents are moved onward, such as the wavelike, circular contractions of the alimentary canal. </DL>
<A NAME="peristaltic">
<B>peristaltic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with peristalsis. <BR> <I>Ex. peristaltic contractions.</I> adv. <B>peristaltically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="peristome">
<B>peristome, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Botany.) the one or two rings or fringes of toothlike appendages around the mouth of the capsule or theca in mosses. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Zoology.) any special structure or set of parts around the mouth or oral opening in various invertebrates. </DL>
<A NAME="peristomial">
<B>peristomial, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with a peristome. </DL>
<A NAME="peristylar">
<B>peristylar, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, having to do with, or like a peristyle. </DL>
<A NAME="peristyle">
<B>peristyle, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a row of columns surrounding a building, court, or the like. (SYN) colonnade. <DD><B> 2. </B>a space or court so enclosed. </DL>
<A NAME="peristylium">
<B>peristylium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-stylia.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the peristyle of an ancient Roman dwelling. </DL>
<A NAME="peritectic">
<B>peritectic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> neither solid nor liquid; being intermediate between the solid and liquid phases of a melt. <BR> <I>Ex. a peritectic compound.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="perithecial">
<B>perithecial, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with the perithecium. </DL>
<A NAME="perithecium">
<B>perithecium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-cia.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the fruit of certain fungi, usually a rounded or flask-shaped receptacle with a narrow opening, enclosing the asci or spore sacs. </DL>
<A NAME="peritoneal">
<B>peritoneal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of the peritoneum. </DL>
<A NAME="peritoneum">
<B>peritoneum, </B>noun, pl. <B>-nea.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the thin membrane that lines the walls of the abdomen and covers the organs in it. The peritoneum is a thin, transparent structure with many folds, such as the omentum and mesentery. </DL>
<A NAME="peritonitis">
<B>peritonitis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> inflammation of the peritoneum. </DL>
<A NAME="peritonsillarabscess">
peritonsillar abscess, =quinsy.</DL>
<A NAME="peritricha">
<B>peritricha, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> bacteria with the cilia (organs of locomotion) around the entire body. </DL>
<A NAME="peritrichous">
<B>peritrichous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having a band of cilia around the body. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with peritricha. adv. <B>peritrichously.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="peritus">
<B>peritus, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ti.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a theological advisor or consultant in the Roman Catholic Church. </DL>
<A NAME="perivascular">
<B>perivascular, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> surrounding a blood vessel. <BR> <I>Ex. perivascular areas of the heart.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="perivisceral">
<B>perivisceral, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> surrounding and containing viscera. The perivisceral cavity is the general body cavity containing the alimentary canal and its appendages. </DL>
<A NAME="periwig">
<B>periwig, </B>noun. =peruke.</DL>
<A NAME="periwigged">
<B>periwigged, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> wearing a periwig. </DL>
<A NAME="periwinkle">
<B>periwinkle</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a low, trailing evergreen plant with blue, white, or purplish flowers. There are several kinds, making up a genus of the dogbane family. The American periwinkle is called myrtle. <DD><B> 2. </B>a light-blue color. </DL>
