'perigeic' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the word 'perigee' with the adjectival suffix '-ic', where the Greek roots 'peri-' meant 'around' and 'gē' (ge) meant 'earth'.

'perigee' changed from the Greek word 'perigeion' into Late Latin and Medieval Romance forms (e.g. Late Latin/Old French) and entered English as 'perigee'; in Modern English the adjective 'perigeic' was formed by adding the suffix '-ic' to 'perigee'.

Initially the roots conveyed the sense 'around the earth' or 'near the earth'; over time this evolved into the technical astronomical sense 'of or relating to the nearest point in an orbit to Earth', which is retained in 'perigeic'.