Perissodactyla, pe-ris-ō-dak′ti-la, n. one of the two divisions of the great mammalian order Ungulata, including the horse, tapir, and rhinoceros, distinguished by the third digit of each limb being symmetrical in itself, by the presence of an odd number of digits on the hind-foot, &c.—opp. to Artiodactyla.—adjs. Perissodac′tyl, Perissodac′tylate, Perissodactyl′ic, Perissodac′tylous. [Gr. perissos, beyond the regular number, daktylos, a finger.]
Perissology, per-i-sol′ō-ji, n. verbiage.—adj. Perissolog′ical, redundant in words.
Perissosyllabic, pe-ris-o-si-lab′ik, adj. having superfluous syllables.
Peristalith, pe-ris′ta-lith, n. a series of standing stones surrounding a barrow or burial-mound. [Gr. peri, around, histanai, to stand, lithos, a stone.]
Peristaltic, per-i-stalt′ik, adj. noting the involuntary muscular action of the alimentary canal, by which it forces its contents onwards.—n. Peristal′sis. [Gr. peristaltikos—peristellein, to wrap round—peri, around, stellein, to place.]
Peristeropod, pē-ris′te-rō-pod, adj. pigeon-toed—also n. [Gr. peristera, a pigeon, pous, podos, a foot.]
Peristome, per′i-stōm, n. the mouth-parts of echinoderms, &c.: the fringe of hair-like appendages round the rim of the capsule of a moss.
Peristyle, per′i-stīl, n. a range of columns round a building or round a square: a court, square, &c., with columns all round.—adj. Peristy′lar. [L. peristylium—Gr. peristylon, with pillars round the wall—peri, around, stylos, a column.]
Perithoracic, per-i-thō-ras′ik, adj. around the thorax.
Peritomous, pe-rit′ō-mus, adj. (min.) cleaving in more directions than one parallel to the axis, the faces being all similar. [Gr. peri, round, temnein, to cut.]