periodic

¹ American  

[pur-ahy-od-ik] / ˌpɜr aɪˈɒd ɪk /

adjective

Chemistry.

1. of or derived from a periodic acid.

---

periodic ² 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 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

---

Other Word Forms

• periodically adverb
• periodicity noun

Etymology

Origin of periodic¹

First recorded in 1830–40; per- + iodic

Origin of periodic¹

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

Example Sentences

In its 2026 restaurant outlook, Consumer Edge, a consumer data and analytics firm, argued that chains need to move beyond periodic deals and rebuild trust through fair pricing, consistent experiences, and quality food.

From Barron's

“Just like an investor plans for future retirement income, it’s important to plan and budget for ongoing maintenance and periodic improvements well before you’re ready to sell,” Spector said.

From MarketWatch

Then some funds struggled to meet even the limited demand for periodic liquidity they had promised to investors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Stephen Curtis, an economist who runs his own firm, has been urging the government to use periodic adjustments.

From The Wall Street Journal

Right now, the market has been extremely Fed-focused, moving through one of the periodic phases in which stocks’ moves are more closely linked to expectations for the bank’s rate decisions.

From Barron's

Related Words

• annual
• intermittent
• monthly
• occasional
• recurrent
• recurring
• regular
• repeated
• routine
• seasonal
• sporadic
• weekly
• yearly