peripheral

American  

[puh-rif-er-uhl] / pəˈrɪf ər əl /

adjective

1. relating to, situated in, or constituting the periphery.

   peripheral resistance on the outskirts of the battle area.

2. concerned with relatively minor, irrelevant, or superficial aspects of the subject in question.

3. Anatomy. near the surface or outside of; external.

4. Computers. relating to a device or unit that is separate from but connected to a computer, network host, etc.

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noun

1. Computers.

   1. a device or unit that operates separately from the CPU but is connected to it, such as a mouse, printer, speakers, etc.

   2. a device or unit that is separate from a network’s host computer but in communication with it, such as a shared input terminal, printer, or backup drive.

peripheral British  

/ pəˈrɪfərəl /

adjective

1. not relating to the most important part of something; incidental, minor, or superficial

2. of, relating to, or of the nature of a periphery

3. anatomy of, relating to, or situated near the surface of the body

   a peripheral nerve

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peripheral Scientific  

/ pə-rĭf′ər-əl /

1. Anatomy Relating to or being the surface or outer part of a body or organ.

2. Relating to or being part of the peripheral nervous system.

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1. Computer Science An auxiliary device, such as a printer or modem, distinct from a computer's central processing unit and working memory, and often connected externally.

peripheral Cultural  

1. Any part that is separate from a computer's CPU, such as a printer, a keyboard, or a monitor.

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Other Word Forms

• peripherally adverb
• unperipheral adjective

Etymology

Origin of peripheral

First recorded in 1800–10; 1965–70 peripheral for def. 4; from Greek peripher(ḗs) ( periphery ( def. ) ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Beijing’s next-generation submarines will be designed as oceangoing vessels that can maintain a “persistent presence” beyond China’s peripheral waters, Brookes said in his statement.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I love my dad. He was peripheral. He was wonderful. He passed away last year and I really don’t want to talk about him,” Applegate says under the glow of her screen.

From Los Angeles Times

Places once peripheral to global politics, particularly the Arctic, have become new hot spots.

From The Wall Street Journal

The first AI category is investment into the computers, peripherals and networking equipment that fill these data centers, which grew by 61% annualized from the previous quarter.

From Barron's

Ms. Fennell has greatly streamlined the complicated plot of Emily Brontë’s novel, eliminating the framing device, the supernatural element, several peripheral figures and a second generation of characters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• incidental
• tangential