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Synonyms

periodic

1 American  
[peer-ee-od-ik] / ˌpɪər iˈɒd ɪk /

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.

  3. repeated at irregular intervals; intermittent.

    periodic outbreaks of the disease.

  4. Physics. recurring at equal intervals of time.

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

  6. Astronomy.

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

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

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

periodic 2 American  
[pur-ahy-od-ik] / ˌpɜr aɪˈɒd ɪk /

adjective

Chemistry.

  1. of or derived from a periodic acid.

periodic British  
/ ˌpɪərɪˈɒdɪk, ˌpɪərɪəˈdɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. happening or recurring at intervals; intermittent

  2. of, relating to, or resembling a period

  3. having or occurring in repeated periods or cycles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • periodically adverb
  • periodicity noun

Etymology

Origin of periodic1

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

Origin of periodic2

First recorded in 1830–40; per- + iodic

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.

Some funds aimed at retail investors allow periodic redemptions up to a certain cap.

From The Wall Street Journal

The explanation traces back to work by the French mathematician Gaston Floquet, who showed in the 19th century that systems exposed to periodic forces can develop entirely new oscillation states.

From Science Daily

The income from the brick-paving business provided enough to raise all the children and take periodic vacations to Disney and Universal, Vagner said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Proton’s open-source apps are subject to periodic security audits, which play a role in shaping Proton VPN’s development.

From Salon

Just under 100 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of March, according to data analysed by BBC Verify, despite periodic attacks on shipping in the area by Iranian forces.

From BBC

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.