'peristyle' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'peristylum', where 'peri-' (from Greek) meant 'around' and 'stylos' (Greek) meant 'column'.

'peristyle' changed from Latin 'peristylum', which itself came from Greek 'peristȳlon' (περίστυλον), and eventually became the modern English word 'peristyle'.

Initially, it referred to the architectural feature 'a row of columns around a building or courtyard', and this meaning has been retained into modern usage to denote either the colonnade or the enclosed courtyard.