A common prefix in words of French or Latin origin; e.g., percepcioun, percussioun, perjurie, permanence, perpendicle, perspicuite (nouns); perdurable, permanent, perpetrat, pertinent (adj.); peremptorie, perpetuelle (adj. & adv.); performen, perfurnishen, permitten, perpetuen, perturben, perverten (verbs). New formations in ME are rare, but percomplishing (ger.), perexcellentli (adv.), and perliming (ger.) may belong in this category.per- is frequently substituted for other prefixes: (for para-) perlesie, parlesie, vars. of paralisie; (for pre-) perambulacioun, var. of preambulacioun; perfixed, p.ppl. of prefixen; persaunt, var. of present, adj.; persevering, var. of preservinge, ger.; persumpcion, var. of presumpcioun; pervidence, var. of previdence; (for pro-) perrovendere, var. of provendere; persperite, var. of prosperite; (for pur-) perluning, ger.; perchaser, var. of purchasour; perfuling, var. of purfiling, ger.; perloinen, perloune, vars. of purloinen; perpoint, parpine, vars. of purpoint; perpos, var. of purpos; perseuar, var. of purseuere; perseue, var. of purseuen; perseueth, -es, sg.3 of purseuen; persues, pl., perseuing, perseuand, ppl., perseuede, persiued, persuede, perside, p., & perseued, p.ppl., of purseuen; persut, var. of pursuite; pertenance, pertinence, vars. of purtenaunce; pervei, var. of purveien; perveiande, pervade, ppls. of purveien; perveaunce, perviaunce, vars. of purveiaunce; etc.