periodic

adjective

pe·​ri·​od·​ic ˌpir-ē-ˈä-dik How to pronounce periodic (audio)
1
a
: occurring or recurring at regular intervals
b
: occurring repeatedly from time to time
2
a
: consisting of or containing a series of repeated stages, processes, or digits : cyclic
periodic decimals
a periodic vibration
b
: being a function any value of which recurs at regular intervals
3
: expressed in or characterized by periodic sentences

Examples of periodic in a Sentence

He takes the car in for periodic oil changes. sent out periodic reminders about the office dress code
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And in spite of market turbulence caused by Mr. Trump's tariff threats, some experts think stocks are likely to gain strength in the months to come, although not without periodic bouts of volatility. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2025 Conducting periodic retrospectives, creating an iterative feedback loop with stakeholders, and breaking down your strategy into manageable, agile pieces all helps to maintain alignment and enable progression toward business-objective achievement. Forrester, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 Other income, net, increased to $2.2 million, largely due to net periodic pension benefits. Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2025 His periodic struggles to punch his weight physically in his first season in the ultra-athletic Premier League has brought some criticism from supporters. Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for periodic

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of periodic was in 1650

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Cite this Entry

“Periodic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/periodic. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

periodic

adjective
pe·​ri·​od·​ic ˌpir-ē-ˈäd-ik How to pronounce periodic (audio)
1
: occurring at regular intervals
2
: consisting of or containing a series of repeated stages
periodic vibrations

Medical Definition

periodic

adjective
pe·​ri·​od·​ic ˌpir-ē-ˈäd-ik How to pronounce periodic (audio)
: occurring or recurring at regular intervals
periodic epidemics

More from Merriam-Webster on periodic

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