Etymograph

English

semiperiphery

From semi- + periphery.

Formed from semi- + periphery

Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one’

Proto-Indo-European *sēmi ‘half’

English semi-

Ancient Greek περιφέρω ‘to carry round, carry about’

Ancient Greek περιφερής ‘circular, round’

Ancient Greek περιφέρεια ‘a periphery’

Latin peripheria

Middle French peripherie

English periphery

Today it means

noun In world-systems theory, any of the industrializing, mostly capitalist countries positioned between the periphery and core countries.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “semiperiphery”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / semiperiphery