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per·i·style

(pĕrĭ-stīl′)

1. A series of columns surrounding a building or enclosing a court.

2. A court enclosed by columns.

[French péristyle, from Latin peristȳlum, from Greek peristūlon, from neuter of peristūlos, surrounded by columns : peri-, peri- + stūlos, pillar; see stā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

per′i·stylar (-stīlər) adj.

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peristyle

plan of the Temple of Apollo

Thermon, Greece

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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