peripheral
/pəˈrɪfərəl/ (bre, ipa) · /pəˈrɪfərəl/ (ame, ipa) · /pə-ˈri-f(ə-)rəl/ (ame, mw) · /pəˈrɪf.ər.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /pəˈrɪf.ɚ.əl/ (ame, ipa)
peripheral — adjective
- peripheralpositive
- more peripheralcomparative
- most peripheralsuperlative
1. connected to the main subject or activity, but not one of its important parts.
connected to the main subject or activity, but not one of its important parts.
Cost was peripheral to Mia's choice of nursing school.
be peripheral to + noun
In the meeting, parking rules stayed peripheral to the budget crisis.
At trial, gossip was peripheral to the missing bank records.
The museum kept gift-shop plans peripheral during talks about roof repairs.
For Rosa, romance stayed peripheral to her search for her son.
- secondary
close in meaning, but often suggests second place in rank or order.
- minor
more everyday and often means small as well as less important.
- marginal
often suggests being pushed to the edge or given too little attention.
- supplementary
emphasizes something added to support the main part.
文法句型
peripheral issue
peripheral concern
peripheral role
be peripheral to + noun
用法筆記
Often appears with abstract nouns such as issue, concern, role, or detail. Frequently followed by 'to' when you say what the less important thing is compared with; distinguish from adjective/2, which is about physical position near an edge.
常見錯誤
2. in the outer part of an area, building, or other space, rather than near the cen
in the outer part of an area, building, or other space, rather than near the center.
Street markets grew in peripheral districts beyond the old city walls.
before noun: peripheral districts
A small clinic serves peripheral villages near the mountain border.
Most buses stop at peripheral streets, not the central square.
New housing spread across peripheral land beside the airport road.
The fire started in a peripheral room at the back.
文法句型
peripheral area
peripheral district
peripheral road
peripheral room
用法筆記
Usually modifies nouns for places or parts of spaces, such as districts, roads, rooms, or villages. Distinguish from adjective/1: this sense describes outer location, not lesser importance.
常見錯誤
peripheral — noun
- peripheralsingular
- peripheralsplural
1. a machine or piece of electronic equipment that you connect to a computer so it
a machine or piece of electronic equipment that you connect to a computer so it can put information in, send it out, or add another function.
The office bought a new peripheral for scanning old family photos.
peripheral for + -ing
Without the right driver, the peripheral would not print or save.
A wireless mouse is handy, but it is still a peripheral.
Each lab computer has one monitor and two other peripherals.
When Nora changed laptops, every peripheral needed a new cable.
- device
much broader; not limited to equipment connected to a computer.
- accessory
less technical and can refer to helpful add-ons of many kinds.
- attachment
stresses that the item is connected to the main machine.
- core unit
the main computer itself rather than an attached device.
- internal component
a part built inside the computer.
文法句型
computer peripheral
USB peripheral
wireless peripheral
peripheral for + -ing
用法筆記
Usually refers to separate devices outside the main computer unit, such as printers, scanners, drives, or mice. In everyday English, many speakers name the device directly instead of using the general word peripheral.