Perigynous, per-ij′i-nus, adj. (bot.) denoting flowers which have the petals and stamens growing on the calyx, or around the pistil.—n. Perigyn′ium. [Gr. peri, about, gynē, a female.]
Perihelion, per-i-hē′li-on, n. the point of the orbit of a planet or a comet at which it is nearest to the sun—opp. to Aphelion.—Also Perihē′lium. [Gr. peri, near, hēlios, the sun.]
Perihepatic, per-i-hē-pat′ik, adj. surrounding the liver.
Peril, per′il, n. danger: a source of danger: exposure to danger.—v.t. to expose to danger:—pr.p. per′illing; pa.t. and pa.p. per′illed.—adj. Per′ilous, full of peril: dangerous.—adv. Per′ilously.—n. Per′ilousness. [Fr. péril—L. periculum.]
Perilymph, per′i-limf, n. the fluid which surrounds the membraneous labyrinth of the ear.
Perimeter, pē-rim′e-tėr, n. (geom.) the circuit or boundary of any plane figure, or the sum of all its sides: an instrument for measuring the area over which a person can see distinctly.—adjs. Perimet′ric, -al, pertaining to the perimeter.—n. Perim′etry, the act of making perimetrical measurements. [Gr. perimetros—peri, around, metron, measure.]
Perimorph, per′i-morf, n. a mineral enclosing another.—adjs. Perimor′phic, Perimor′phous.
Perineum, Perinæum, per-i-nē′um, n. the lower part of the body between the genital organs and the rectum.—adj. Perinē′al. [L.,—Gr.]
Period, pē′ri-ud, n. the time in which anything is performed: (astron.) the time occupied by one of the heavenly bodies in making its revolution: a stated interval of time, at the end of which certain events begin again to go through the same course as before: a series of events: a series of years: length of duration: the time at which anything ends: conclusion: (gram.) a mark at the end of a sentence: (rhet.) a complete sentence.—v.t. (Shak.) to put an end to.—adjs. Period′ic, -al, pertaining to a period: happening by revolution: occurring at regular intervals: pertaining to periodicals.—ns. Period′ical, a magazine or other publication which appears in parts at regular periods; Period′icalist, one who writes in a periodical.—adv. Period′ically.—n. Periodic′ity, state of being periodic: tendency to happen over again at regular intervals of time.—Periodical literature, literature published in magazines, &c.; Periodic function, one whose operation being iterated a certain number of times restores the variable: a function having a period; Periodic inequality, a disturbance in the motion of a planet due to its position in its orbit relatively to another planet; Periodic law (chem.), a relation of elements according to their atomic weights. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. periodos—peri, around, hodos, a way.]
Periophthalmus, per-i-of-thal′mus, n. a genus of acanthopterous fishes, allied to gobies, with protruding mobile eyes, pectoral fins that can be used as legs.