periodicity
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of periodicity
From the French word périodicité, dating back to 1825–35. See periodic 1, -ity
Explanation
The characteristic of happening regularly is periodicity. In a given school day, you're sure to notice the periodicity of the bells ringing after class at predictable, regular intervals. The adjective periodicity is almost always used in a scientific or technical context (in more casual conversation, you'd be more likely to say regularity or even rhythm). In nature, there are many examples of periodicity, from the daily sunrise and sunset to the phases of the moon and the recurrence of the seasons. Periodicity is closely related to periodic, from the Greek root periodos, "cycle."
Vocabulary lists containing periodicity
The ACT Math Test: Functions
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Functions - High School
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This Week In Culture: February 8–14, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“If you think about the periodicity of significant bear markets, since 1970 we get kind of a mean reversion about on average every 10 years,” he said.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
Even the periodicity of time had a different reckoning.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
There seems to be a seven-year periodicity with these fireballs.
From BBC • Nov. 9, 2024
Annual cicadas do not have the periodicity of the magicicada that are emerging soon.
From New York Times • May 8, 2024
Among the extensive writings on the periodicity of earthquakes one main fact stands out with great distinctness: earthquakes vary in number according to the season.
From Climatic Changes Their Nature and Causes by Huntington, Ellsworth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
