The prefix peri- means which?

• A. Around, Surrounding
• B. Near
• C. Between
• D. Beyond

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is the meaning of the prefix peri-. It denotes around or surrounding something. That’s why it appears in terms like pericardium (the sac around the heart), periosteum (the membrane around a bone), perinatal (around the time of birth), and perioperative (around the time of surgery). So this prefix specifically conveys a surrounding relationship, which makes it the best fit for “around” in the question.

The other ideas describe different relationships: near or proximate is a sense of closeness but not necessarily surrounding; between refers to a position in the middle of two things; beyond implies outside or further than something, which is expressed by other prefixes such as meta-, ultra-, or exo-.