Pronunciation: p ə - ' r ē - ˌ än
Variant: or pe · rei · on \ - ' r ī - \
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek perai ō n, present participle of peraioun to transport, from peraios situated beyond, from pera beyond; akin to Greek poros passage ― more at FARE
Date: 1855
: the thorax or the seven metameres comprising the thorax of some crustaceans (as a decapod)