What does "cyclic" mean?
The flight control used to control a helicopter's direction and rate of horizontal movement by tilting the lift vector of the helicopter's main rotor disk.
Cyclic
/ˈsaɪ.klɪk/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The flight control used to control a helicopter's direction and rate of horizontal movement by tilting the lift vector of the helicopter's main rotor disk.
- Grammar: cyclic is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: alternate, alternate funding source, alternate number, alternating.
- Useful contrasts: acyclic, noncyclic, noncyclic exchange.
- Usage evidence: In helicopters, the cyclic controls the tilt of the main rotor, producing pitch and roll.
How to use "cyclic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cyclic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cyclic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cyclic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cyclic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cyclic" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "alternate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cyclic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The flight control used to control a helicopter's direction and rate of horizontal movement by tilting the lift vector of the helicopter's main rotor disk.
Adjective
- 1 Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals; cyclical
"The weather had a cyclic pattern of rain and sun."
- 2 Having chains of atoms arranged in a ring.
"Benzene and cyclohexane are both cyclic compounds."
- 3 Having parts arranged in a whorl.
- 4 Being generated by only one element.
- 5 Able to be inscribed in a circle.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Firing at its full cyclic rate.
"On it came, closer and closer, and as it did so it became clear that the pilot, if he was alive, had terminal intentions. Though the torpedo somehow missed, the plane itself did not. To those watching helplessly from other stations, the ship's antiaircraft gunners, in their final moments, were an inspiration: eyes focused through iron sights on the plane as it sped at them, weapons hot, going cyclic, hunched down and never flinching until the Betty struck high on the mainmast, killing them all."
Adjective
- 1 recurring in cycles wordnet
- 2 of a compound having atoms arranged in a ring structure wordnet
- 3 forming a whorl or having parts arranged in a whorl wordnet
- 4 marked by repeated cycles wordnet
- 5 conforming to the Carnot cycle wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"In helicopters, the cyclic controls the tilt of the main rotor, producing pitch and roll."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cyclic"?
Common synonyms include: alternate, alternate funding source, alternate number, alternating, annual pattern, annular.
How do you use "cyclic" in a sentence?
In helicopters, the cyclic controls the tilt of the main rotor, producing pitch and roll.
How do you pronounce "cyclic"?
Pronounced /ˈsaɪ.klɪk/.
Etymology
From French cyclique or its etymon Classical Latin cyclicus, from Ancient Greek κυκλικός (kuklikós). By surface analysis, cycle + -ic. Piecewise doublet of chakric.