Pericardic adjective Pericardiac.

Pericarditus noun [ New Latin See Pericardium , and -itis .] (Medicine) Inflammation of the pericardium. Dunglison.

Pericardium noun [ New Latin , from Greek ..., from ... about or near the heart; ... about + ... heart.] (Anat.) The double baglike fold of serous membrane which incloses the heart.

» The inner layer is closely adherent to the outer surface of the heart, and is called the cardiac pericardium . The outer layer loosely incloses the heart and the adherent inner layer, and is called the parietal pericardium . At the base of the heart the two layers are continuous, and form a narrow closed cavity filled with fluid, in which the pulsations of the heart cause little friction.

Pericarp noun [ Greek ...; ... around + ... fruit: confer French péricarpe .] (Botany) The ripened ovary; the walls of the fruit. See Illusts . of Capsule , Drupe , and Legume .

Pericarpial, Pericarpic adjective (Botany) Of or pertaining to a pericarp.

Pericellular adjective (Anat.) Surrounding a cell; as, the pericellular lymph spaces surrounding ganglion cells.

Perichete noun Same as Perichæth .

Perichondrial adjective (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the perichondrium; situated around cartilage.

Perichondritis noun [ New Latin See Perichondrium , and -itis .] (Medicine) Inflammation of the perichondrium.

Perichondrium noun [ New Latin , from Greek ... around + ... cartilage.] (Anat.) The membrane of fibrous connective tissue which closely invests cartilage, except where covering articular surfaces.

Perichordal adjective Around the notochord; as, a perichordal column. See Epichordal .

Perichæth noun [ See Perichætium .] (Botany) The leafy involucre surrounding the fruit stalk of mosses; perichætium; perichete.

Perichætial adjective (Botany) Of or pertaining to the perichæth.

Perichætium noun ; plural Perichætia . [ New Latin , from Greek ... about + ... flowing hair, foliage.] (Botany) Same as Perichæth .

Perichætous adjective [ See Perichætium .] (Zoology) Surrounded by setæ; -- said of certain earthworms (genus Perichætus ).

Periclase, Periclasite noun [ Prefix peri- + Greek ... to break.] (Min.) A grayish or dark green mineral, consisting essentially of magnesia (magnesium oxide), occurring in granular forms or in isometric crystals.

Periclinium noun ; plural Periclinia . [ New Latin , from Greek ... around + ... a bed.] (Botany) The involucre which surrounds the common receptacle in composite flowers.

Periclitate transitive verb [ Latin periclitatus , past participle of periclitari , from periculum .] To endanger. [ Obsolete]

Periclitating , pardi! the whole family.

Sterne.

Periclitation noun [ Latin periclitatio : confer French périclitation .]
1. Trial; experiment. [ Obsolete]

2. The state of being in peril. [ Obsolete]

Pericope noun [ Latin , section of a book, Greek ...; ... around + ... to cut.] A selection or extract from a book; especially (Theol.) , a selection from the Bible, appointed to be read in the churches or used as a text for a sermon.

Pericranial adjective (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the pericranium.

Pericranium noun [ New Latin ] (Anat.) The periosteum which covers the cranium externally; the region around the cranium.

Periculous adjective [ Latin periculosus . See Perilous .] Dangerous; full of peril. [ Obsolete]

Periculum noun ; plural Pericula . [ Latin ] (Rom. & O.Eng. Law)
1. Danger; risk.

2. In a narrower, judicial sense: Accident or casus , as distinguished from dolus and culpa , and hence relieving one from the duty of performing an obligation.

Pericystitis noun [ New Latin See Peri- , and Cystitis .] (Medicine) Inflammation of the tissues surrounding the bladder.

Periderm noun
1. (Botany) The outer layer of bark.

2. (Zoology) The hard outer covering of hydroids and other marine animals; the perisarc.

Peridiastole noun (Physiol.) The almost inappreciable time which elapses between the systole and the diastole of the heart.

Peridium noun ; plural Peridia . [ New Latin , from Greek ... about + ..., a dim. ending.] (Botany) The envelope or coat of certain fungi, such as the puffballs and earthstars.

Peridot noun [ French péridot .] (Min.) Chrysolite.

Peridotite noun [ Confer French péridotite .] (Min.) An eruptive rock characterized by the presence of chrysolite (peridot). It also usually contains pyroxene, enstatite, chromite, etc. It is often altered to serpentine.

» The chief diamond deposits in South Africa occur in a more or less altered peridotite.

Peridrome noun [ Greek ..., from ... running around, from ... to run round; ... round + ... to run: confer French péridrome .] (Archæol.) The space between the columns and the wall of the cella, in a Greek or a Roman temple.

Periecians noun plural See Periœcians .

Perienteron noun [ New Latin See Peri- , and Enteron .] (Anat.) The primitive perivisceral cavity.

Periergy noun [ Greek ..., from ... overcareful; ... about, beyond + ... work.]
1. Excessive care or diligence. [ Obsolete]

2. (Rhet.) A bombastic or labored style. [ R.]

Periganglionic adjective (Anat.) Surrounding a ganglion; as, the periganglionic glands of the frog.

Perigastric adjective (Zoology) Surrounding the stomach; -- applied to the body cavity of Bryozoa and various other Invertebrata.

Perigean adjective Pertaining to the perigee.

Perigean tides , those spring tides which occur soon after the moon passes her perigee.

Perigee, Perigeum noun [ New Latin perigeum , from Greek ... about, near + ... the earth: confer French périgée .] (Astron.) That point in the orbit of the moon which is nearest to the earth; -- opposed to apogee . It is sometimes, but rarely, used of the nearest points of other orbits, as of a comet, a planet, etc. Called also epigee , epigeum .

Perigenesis noun (Biol.) A theory which explains inheritance by the transmission of the type of growth force possessed by one generation to another.

Perigenetic adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to perigenesis.

Perigone noun [ Prefix peri- + Greek ... productive organs.]
1. (Botany) (a) Any organ inclosing the essential organs of a flower; a perianth. (b) In mosses, the involucral bracts of a male flower.

2. (Zoology) A sac which surrounds the generative bodies in the gonophore of a hydroid.

Perigonium noun ; plural Perigonia . [ New Latin ] Same as Perigone .

Perigord pie [ From Périgord , a former province of France.] A pie made of truffles, much esteemed by epicures.

Perigraph noun [ Greek ... outline; ... round, about + ... to write.] A careless or inaccurate delineation of anything. [ R.]

Perigynium noun ; plural Perigynia . [ New Latin See Perigynous .] (Botany) Some unusual appendage about the pistil, as the bottle-shaped body in the sedges, and the bristles or scales in some other genera of the Sedge family, or Cyperaceæ .

Perigynous adjective [ Prefix peri- + Greek ... woman.] (Botany) Having the ovary free, but the petals and stamens borne on the calyx; -- said of flower such as that of the cherry or peach.

Perihelion, Perihelium noun ; plural Perihelia . [ New Latin , from Greek ... about, near + ... the sun.] (Astron.) That point of the orbit of a planet or comet which is nearest to the sun; -- opposed to aphelion .

Peril noun [ French péril , from Latin periculum , periclum , akin to peritus experienced, skilled, and English fare . See Fare , and confer Experience .] Danger; risk; hazard; jeopardy; exposure of person or property to injury, loss, or destruction.

In perils of waters, in perils of robbers.

2 Cor. xi. 26.

Adventure hard
With peril great achieved.

Milton.

At , or On , one's peril , with risk or danger to one; at the hazard of. " On thy soul's peril ." Shak.

Syn. -- Hazard; risk; jeopardy. See Danger .

Peril transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Periled or Perilled ; present participle & verbal noun Periling or Perilling .] To expose to danger; to hazard; to risk; as, to peril one's life.

Peril intransitive verb To be in danger. [ Obsolete] Milton.