peripheral

/pəˈrɪfərəl/

Say it: puh-RIF-er-ul

1. adjective Of secondary or minor importance; not central.
The committee dismissed his concerns as peripheral to the main agenda.
2. adjective Relating to or situated on the edge or boundary of something.
Her peripheral vision caught the movement of a deer at the side of the road.
3. noun A device, such as a printer or keyboard, that is connected to a computer to expand its capabilities.
You'll need to buy a new monitor and other peripherals for your gaming setup.
4. adjective Relating to the outer part of the body or the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral artery disease affects blood circulation in the limbs.

📖 Seen in the wild

The details of the argument were interesting, but ultimately peripheral to the main issue.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ peripheral in a sentence

The main topic of the summit was trade, with other concerns relegated to peripheral discussions.
Let's focus on the core objectives for this quarter; the other tasks are peripheral for now.
The novel's protagonist was well-developed, but the peripheral characters felt like mere sketches.
Make sure all your peripherals, like the webcam and external hard drive, are properly connected before you start.
Patients with peripheral neuropathy experience weakness and numbness, usually in their hands and feet.
He has excellent peripheral awareness, which makes him a fantastic point guard.
She felt like a peripheral figure in her own family's decisions, always on the outside looking in.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

secondary marginal incidental tangential ancillary subordinate minor unimportant

secondary · implies a clear ranking below something primary

marginal · suggests being on the very edge of relevance, almost insignificant

incidental · describes something that happens by chance alongside a more important event

tangential · emphasizes a digression or a connection that barely touches the main point

Opposites: central, core, essential, crucial, vital

🌱 Where it comes from

The word comes from the Greek 'periphereia,' meaning 'circumference.' It's formed from 'peri-' (around) and 'pherein' (to carry), literally describing the line carried around a circle. This idea of the outer edge evolved to mean anything not at the center, whether physically or in terms of importance.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

peripheral visionperipheral issueperipheral charactercomputer peripheralsperipheral nervous system

Peripheral is a more formal and precise word than 'unimportant' or 'side issue.' It neutrally describes something's position as non-central, but can also be used to dismiss something as not worthy of main consideration. Be aware of its very specific and common meaning in computing, where 'peripherals' refers to hardware connected to a computer.

Word family: periphery

💬 Quick answers

What does peripheral mean in simple terms?

It usually means something is of secondary importance or located on the outer edge. In computing, a peripheral is an external device like a printer or keyboard that connects to a computer.

What is the difference between peripheral and marginal?

While both mean secondary, 'peripheral' suggests something is connected but not central, like a side issue. 'Marginal' often implies something is so far on the edge that it's almost insignificant or barely relevant.

Is peripheral a formal word?

Yes, 'peripheral' is generally a neutral to formal word. In casual conversation, people are more likely to say 'side issue' or 'less important'.

What is the noun for peripheral?

The related noun is 'periphery,' which refers to the outer boundary or edge of an area, object, or subject.

1 word nerd collected it V

Want "peripheral" to actually stick?

Save it to your own vault, let AI explain it, practice till it's yours.

Start for free →