What does the prefix peri- mean?
Peri- comes from the Greek peri, which means "around" or "near". It shows that something surrounds or is close to another thing.
ESEN
Prefix · position · around
peri-
Means "around" or "near": perimeter, peripheral, periscope, period, peril, perennial.
Scientific
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Peri- in science and medicine
Peri- appears in geometry, to talk about the measure around a figure; in astronomy, for the point closest to a star; and in medicine, for what surrounds an organ or the period around birth. If you see peri- in a word, think of "what is around".
How it is used
Attaches to Greek and Latin roots to signal surrounding or nearness:
- peri- + noun/measuremeter → perimeterscope → periscopehelion → perihelioncardium → pericardium
- peri- + time/areaod → periododical → periodicalnatal → perinatalpheral → peripheral
Pronunciation: /ˈperɪ/. Do not confuse with circum- (Latin, also "around"): perimeter is Greek, circumference is Latin. Both mean "around" but come from different traditions and are not interchangeable.
How it is pronounced
peri-/ˈperɪ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With peri-
In a phrase
- meterperimeterThe perimeter of the field measures exactly 400 metres.
- pheralperipheralShe noticed movement in her peripheral vision and turned quickly.
- scopeperiscopeThe submarine crew used the periscope to scan the horizon.
- odperiodThe Renaissance was the most creative period in European art.
- odicalperiodicalShe subscribes to a scientific periodical on climate research.
- ilperilThe sailors were in serious peril as the storm worsened.
- ennialperennialLavender is a perennial plant that returns every spring.
Common mistakes
peri- and circum- are the same prefix
peri- is Greek; circum- is Latin — both mean "around" but are not interchangeable and each word uses only one
English inherited two "around" prefixes from different traditions: peri- (Greek) in perimeter, periscope, peripheral; and circum- (Latin) in circumference, circumnavigate, circumscribe. The word's historical root determines which prefix it takes. "Periference" and "circumscope" do not exist.
A trick to remember it
Picture a guard walking the full perimeter: peri- = around. perimeter, periscope.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What does "peripheral" mean in the context of vision?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix peri- mean in English?
The prefix peri- means "around" or "near": perimeter, peripheral, periscope, period, peril, perennial.
How do you pronounce peri-?
The prefix peri- is pronounced /ˈperɪ/. For example, "perimeter".
Can you give an example of a word with peri-?
"meter" becomes "perimeter". It is a typical example of the peri- prefix.
Other useful prefixes
Learn every English prefix
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.