periphery

noun

pe·​riph·​ery pə-ˈri-f(ə-)rē 

plural peripheries

1

: the perimeter of a circle or other closed curve

also : the perimeter of a polygon

2

: the external boundary or surface of a body

3

a

: the outward bounds of something as distinguished from its internal regions or center : confines

b

: an area lying beyond the strict limits of a thing

Synonyms

• border
• borderline
• bound
• boundary
• brim
• circumference
• compass
• confines
• edge
• edging
• end
• frame
• fringe
• hem
• margin
• perimeter
• rim
• skirt
• skirting
• verge

Examples of periphery in a Sentence

the dogs are confined by an invisible electronic fence that runs along the periphery of the yard

Recent Examples on the Web

Baker cuts to conflicted close-ups of Igor, underscoring his pangs of conscience on the periphery of the plot. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025

The arcane pockets of China’s periphery where the Yi and other minorities live are typically China’s poorest regions, far from the gleaming skyscrapers and bustling ports of Shanghai and Shenzhen. —Charlie Campbell, TIME, 9 Jan. 2025

Nor could the deep layers of trauma and mutual mistrust that had built up over generations, particularly between the countless ethnic nationalities on the periphery of the country and the majority Bamar in the heartland. —Derek Mitchell, NPR, 23 Dec. 2024

Nowhere is this dynamic more evident than in Syria, where years of war have weakened relations between the country’s center and its periphery and given rise to a variety of local rulers. —Maha Yahya, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French peripherie, from Late Latin peripheria, from Greek periphereia, from peripherein to carry around, from peri- + pherein to carry — more at bear

First Known Use

circa 1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

periphery

noun

pe·​riph·​ery pə-ˈrif-(ə-)rē 

plural peripheries

1

: the boundary or surface of a body or figure

2

: the outer or outermost part

Medical Definition

periphery

noun

pe·​riph·​ery pə-ˈrif-(ə-)rē 

plural peripheries

1

: the outward bounds of something as distinguished from its internal regions or center

2

: the regions (as the sense organs, the muscles, or the viscera) in which nerves terminate