periodic
adjective
pe·ri·od·ic
ˌpir-ē-ˈä-dik 
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
Synonyms
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
Altering plans because of this periodic celestial event has a long tradition, however.
—
Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Vision Marine's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended August 31, 2023, and its periodic filings with the SEC provide a detailed discussion of these risks and uncertainties.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Amateur and professional observers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a unique opportunity to view the comet, which is renowned for its periodic eruptions of gas and dust.
—USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
But the periodic court hearings at least give Gershkovich's family and friends and U.S. officials a glimpse of him.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 30 Mar. 2024
This has happened before: strikes produce periodic cease-fires without reducing the influence of these networks or leading to a more stable region.
—Renad Mansour, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2024
Weeks of intense fighting preceded the Ukrainian flag being hoisted inside the village, and periodic battles continued around its rubble over the winter.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
In fact, the Russian air force would need additional jets to support crew training and to provide a float for periodic depot maintenance.
—David Axe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Going forward, the department plans on conducting the privacy review on a periodic basis.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Vision Marine's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended August 31, 2023, and its periodic filings with the SEC provide a detailed discussion of these risks and uncertainties.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Amateur and professional observers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a unique opportunity to view the comet, which is renowned for its periodic eruptions of gas and dust.
—USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
But the periodic court hearings at least give Gershkovich's family and friends and U.S. officials a glimpse of him.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 30 Mar. 2024
This has happened before: strikes produce periodic cease-fires without reducing the influence of these networks or leading to a more stable region.
—Renad Mansour, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2024
Weeks of intense fighting preceded the Ukrainian flag being hoisted inside the village, and periodic battles continued around its rubble over the winter.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
In fact, the Russian air force would need additional jets to support crew training and to provide a float for periodic depot maintenance.
—David Axe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Going forward, the department plans on conducting the privacy review on a periodic basis.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'periodic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near periodic
Cite this Entry
“Periodic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/periodic. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
periodic
adjective
pe·ri·od·ic
ˌpir-ē-ˈäd-ik
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
: occurring or recurring at regular intervals
periodic epidemics
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