periodic

1
[ peer-ee-od-ik ]
See synonyms for: periodicperiodically on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. recurring at intervals of time: periodic revivals of an interest in handicrafts.

  2. occurring or appearing at regular intervals: periodic visits by doctors to the village.

  1. repeated at irregular intervals; intermittent: periodic outbreaks of the disease.

  2. Physics. recurring at equal intervals of time.

  3. Mathematics. (of a function) having a graph that repeats after a fixed interval (period ) of the independent variable.

  4. Astronomy.

    • characterized by a series of successive circuits or revolutions, as the motion of a planet or satellite.

    • of or relating to a period, as of the revolution of a heavenly body.

  5. pertaining to or characterized by rhetorical periods, or periodic sentences.

Origin of periodic

1
First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin periodicus, from Greek periodikós; see origin at period, -ic

Other words from periodic

  • pe·ri·od·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with periodic

Words Nearby periodic

Other definitions for periodic (2 of 2)

periodic2
[ pur-ahy-od-ik ]

adjectiveChemistry.
  1. of or derived from a periodic acid.

Origin of periodic

2
First recorded in 1830–40; per- + iodic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use periodic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for periodic

periodic

/ (ˌpɪərɪˈɒdɪk) /


adjective
  1. happening or recurring at intervals; intermittent

  2. of, relating to, or resembling a period

  1. having or occurring in repeated periods or cycles

Derived forms of periodic

  • periodically, adverb
  • periodicity (ˌpɪərɪəˈdɪsɪtɪ), noun

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