Main Entry: ¹per·il

Pronunciation: \ˈper-əl, ˈpe-rəl\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin periculum — more at fear

Date: 13th century

1 : exposure to the risk of being injured, destroyed, or lost : danger <fire put the city in peril>
2 : something that imperils : risk <lessen the perils of the streets>