peristaltic

Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Origin: Gr. … clasping and compressing, fr. … to surround, wrap up; … round + … to place, arrange: cf. F. péristaltique.

Physiology Pertaining to a wormlike wave motion of the intestines, and by analogy, of other flexible tubular structures. In the body it is produced by a progressive contraction of the muscular fibers of their walls, forcing their contents onwards in the direction of the wave; as, peristaltic movement. — Per′wb-a2′>′i·stal′wb-a1′>′tic·al·ly (#), adverb

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54