What does "periodic" mean?
Relative to a period or periods.
Periodic
/ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/ adj
adj ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Relative to a period or periods.
- Grammar: periodic is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: alternate, annual meeting, articulated, beating.
- Useful contrasts: acyclical, irregular, non-periodic.
- Usage evidence: The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
How to use "periodic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "periodic" 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 "periodic" 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 "periodic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "periodic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- 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 "periodic" is acting as adj 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.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "periodic", 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
Adjective
- 1 Relative to a period or periods. not-comparable
- 2 Relating to the highest oxidation state of iodine; of or derived from a periodic acid. not-comparable
- 3 Having repeated cycles. not-comparable
"There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […].”"
- 4 Occurring at regular intervals. not-comparable
"That last problem did intrude on Hazzard’s roamings, and when she refers to the living city it is with periodic references to thefts of cars and wallets, with a warning not to carry anything “snatchable” by the thieves on motorcycles who whiz through the streets."
- 5 Periodical. not-comparable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Pertaining to the revolution of a celestial object in its orbit. not-comparable
- 7 For which any return to it must occur in multiples of k time steps, for some k>1. not-comparable
- 8 Having a structure characterized by periodic sentences. not-comparable, rhetoric
Adjective
- 1 recurring or reappearing from time to time wordnet
- 2 happening or recurring at regular intervals wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "periodic"?
Common synonyms include: alternate, annual meeting, articulated, beating, catenated, ceaseless.
How do you use "periodic" in a sentence?
The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
How do you pronounce "periodic"?
Pronounced /ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French périodique, from Medieval Latin periodicus (“cyclical”), from Latin periodus (“complete sentence, period, circuit”), from Ancient Greek περίοδος (períodos, “cycle, period of time”). By surface analysis, period + -ic.
Etymology 2
From per- + iodic.