Peripheral
puh-RIF-er-uhl
/pəˈrɪf.ər.əl/
Relating to or situated on the edge, boundary, or outer field of vision.
Peripheral vision allows detection of motion and shapes outside the central line of sight.
The story behind the word. From Ancient Greek 'periphereia', meaning circumference or outer border, combining 'peri-' (around) and 'pherein' (to bear or carry). It described outer boundaries in geometry before being adopted by optics.
Word relationships
- outer: General term for location near the exterior border.
- marginal: Emphasizes secondary importance or extreme edge.
- central: Located in the middle or core line of sight.
Commonly confused with
- Periphery: Periphery is the noun (the outer boundary), while peripheral is the adjective.
Word family
- periphery (noun): The outer boundary or margin of an area or field.
- peripherally (adverb): In or towards the outer edge.
Collocations
- peripheral vision
- peripheral field
- peripheral visual field
Example sentences
- "Although focused on the road ahead, the driver spotted a deer approaching in his peripheral vision." Visual perception
Memory hook
PERIPHERAL vision watches the PERIMETER around you. Outer edge vision.
When not to use
Do not use to describe objects directly in the center of focus.
Fun facts
- Human peripheral vision is largely color-blind and optimized mainly for detecting motion in low light.
Explore more words
ancillary, supplementary, supplement, Platform, Connectivity, outskirts
Also appears in
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