Has anybody heard of the word? I have seen the word somewhere. I googled it, I went to about 4 dictionaries, tried online dictionaries and cannot find a definition. A definition is all I need. Thanks if you can help.

chronist

periplus is a Latin word for the action of sailing round, circumnavigation; a voyage (or journey) round a coast-line, etc.; a circuit. b. transf. a narrative of such a voyage.

periplum is a form of this word which the OED finds only in the poetry of Ezra Pound: 1940 E. Pound Cantos lix. 83 Periplum, not as land looks on a map But as sea bord seen by men sailing. 1948 I Pisan Cantos (1949) lxxiv. 7 The great periplum brings in the stars to our shore. Ibid. 13 Under the grey cliff in periplum. Ibid. lxxxii. 118 Three solemn half notes Their white downy chests black-rimmed On the middle wire Periplum.

It's an error by Pound then. The Latin -us is not the case ending. It's a borrowing from Greek periplous 'a sailing around', from pleo 'I sail'.

It has a nice ring to it though, 'periplum'; it does sound like a dessert though, eh.

error or coinage, Nicholas?

>error or coinage?

yes, that's a fine line, isn't it?!

The word “periplo” is widely used in Spanish it means a long and adventurous travel usually by sea but not necessarily.

tsuwm>>>


Periplum, not as land looks on a map But as sea bord seen by men sailing...
The great periplum brings in the stars to our shore....
Under the grey cliff in periplum.

I was besotted by the word, I thank you and the others who took the time, to take me out of my besottedness, although I do not think I will use the word anytime soon. I am surprised that the word is not registered in common dictionaries. What I noticed though, is that quite a few people have used it as titles of their poems, books and songs.
thanks again.


chronist

There is an other related word-- (which M-W 10th refuses to list) so i am unsure of the spelling- perplum-- which is small ruffle like edge to a suit jacket-- (A woman suit jacket) (any other sewer/fashion mavens out there with the proper spelling.. or a URL with a sample photo?)

a fitted jacket that has a seam at the waist line, and a flaired ruffle hem is a perplum jacket-- the ruffle is not gathered, but flairs out like a circular skirt-- it is about 7 to 9 deep. The were popular in 50's.. but they are never totally unpopular. (the ruffle "sails" arround the hem)

Helen! I haven't seen a peplum for years !! A peplum is just as you describe ...a short flouce on a jacket, in same marterial as jacket, usually starting at the waist and hanging over the skirt to about mid-hip.
Some are short and sorta' flirty, others can be long and rather elegant as in an overskirt on an evening gown which hangs to nearly the hem of underskirt.
It's a great hip-disguiser in the right length. One of my favorite suits (YEARS ago) was a peplumed, wool worsted suit. It has the advantage of being a tailored suit with a distinctly feminine touch.
About time some designer brought it back!
Good for you Helen to remember that connection.

A peplum is ...a short flouce on a jacket

and just what is the connection, linguistic or invented, at your discretion, between peplum as above and Peplum (plural: pepla) is a distinct film genre. The common English language term is "'sword & sandal film (as per Gladiators?)


wow, please don't hit me for the date on this url http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/limerick/123/vint/peplum.html
It does say it is the "latest" fashion though! and Helen, that MUST be you at http://www.janeswool.com/peplum.htm

Rod

wow, please don't hit me for the date on this url http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/limerick/123/vint/peplum.html

Wouldn't dream of it, Rod! You just proved that it's time the peplum style was brought back ... but I don't know about that skirt ... I have enough "posterior" not to need all that padding!

I await, all atwizzle, comments from darling Helen on your note :
" Helen, that MUST be you at http://www.janeswool.com/peplum.htm"

I think in the fifties in the Philippines if you went to a dressmaker and ask for a peplum to be included in your outfit, you will get what Helen and wow are talking about.

chronist