1803, "of, belonging to, or situated on the periphery," from periphery + -al (1). Earlier formations were peripherial (1670s); peripherical (1690s). Related: Peripherally. As a noun, peripherals, "peripheral devices of a computer," is by 1966.
peripheral suburbs
Russia's peripheral provinces
a peripheral interest
energy is far from a peripheral issue in the economy
peripheral issues
disk drives and printers are important peripherals
periodontium
periorbital
periosteum
peripatetic
peripeteia
peripheral
periphery
periphrasis
periphrastic
periplum
Periscian
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