peripheral
Of secondary importance; on the edge rather than at the center.
Examples
In a meeting
“Let's table the peripheral issues and focus on the core decision.”
Over coffee
“The noise was peripheral — I barely noticed it while I was focused.”
Why this word
minor
Peripheral means located at the outer edge or margin of importance, while minor simply means small in significance
secondary
Peripheral emphasizes distance from the center or core concern, while secondary indicates ranking after the primary
marginal
Peripheral suggests outer position relative to main focus, while marginal emphasizes barely meeting minimum or being borderline
Usage tip
The opposite of 'central' or 'fundamental'. Use it to deprioritize something without dismissing it entirely.
Etymology
Greek periphereia — peri (around) + pherein (to carry), literally 'carrying around the edge'
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Related words
fundamental
Forming a necessary base or core; of central importance.
relevant
Closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand.
emphasize
Give special importance or prominence to something
trivial
Of little importance or value; minor
highlight
To draw attention to the most important parts
tangent
A topic or direction that diverges from the main subject