Final answer:
The word 'perimeter' most nearly means the distance around a shape or the boundary of a shape.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word 'perimeter' most nearly means the distance around a shape or the boundary of a shape. It can be used to describe the length of the outside edge of a square, rectangle, or any other polygon. For example, if a square has a side length of 5 units, then the perimeter of the square would be 4 times the side length, or 20 units.