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I want to know the opposite of the word peripheral. For instance, one can have peripheral branches of the trigeminal nerve and upmost or something.

What is the right opposite word of peripheral?

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    A simple central comes to mind...
    – oerkelens
    Dec 28, 2013 at 13:31
  • As others have said, 'central' is the most likely term in common English. However your example is from medicine which may very well have a technical term, like 'main' or 'primary' or 'proximal'.
    – Mitch
    Dec 28, 2013 at 15:07
  • Here, it might be root. But this is really into specialist nomenclature. Dec 28, 2013 at 16:19
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    Another specialist antonym would be core as in google.co.uk/search?q=core+periphery+model May 16, 2014 at 16:43
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    One should note that in computer jargon a "peripheral" (noun) is a device that is attached to a computer. Originally the term was used because the device would be external to the computer main box, on a cable, but over time the term came to mean, eg, a tape or disk drive built into the main box. I can't offhand think of a good antonym for this concept.
    – Hot Licks
    Apr 21, 2015 at 2:31

1 Answer 1

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It's not clear what you mean by the "opposite" of peripheral.

If you say that peripheral means of the periphery, around the edges, then one "opposite" is at the centre, or central.

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