cyclical

[ sahy-kli-kuhl, sik-li- ]

adjective

1. cyclic.
2. of or denoting a business or stock whose income, value, or earnings fluctuate widely according to variations in the economy or the cycle of the seasons:

   Selling Christmas decorations is a cyclical business.

noun

1. Usually cyclicals. stocks of cyclical companies.

Other Words From

• cycli·cal·ly adverb
• cycli·cali·ty noun
• non·cycli·cal adjective
• non·cycli·cal·ly adverb
• pro·cycli·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cyclical¹

First recorded in 1810–20; cyclic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

The shifts in my internal landscape, mirrored in the cyclical qualities of the natural world, bring solace.

From Los Angeles Times

This cyclical siphoning becomes a ritual for Agatha, as illustrated by a truly incredible sequence that lets Hahn don through-the-decades drag as she proves that her savagery is timeless.

From Salon

It’s a cyclical thing, and the cycle has come back around to a tired narrative.

From Los Angeles Times

The ancients practiced these rites to experience the cyclical nature of life.

From Los Angeles Times

"In addition, cyclical policy stimulus does not fix the structural problems," Ms Wang noted, hinting that without deeper reforms the problems China's economy face will not go away.

From BBC

Related Words

• periodic
• repetitive
• seasonal