English Reference

Word

cycle

Phoneticscy·cle, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈsaɪkəɫ/

UK/sˈaɪkəl/

Definitions

01repeating series of events

A2 · Elementary Countable noun Science Academic

n. a series of events that happen again and again in the same order.

n. a sequence of phenomena or events that recur regularly and lead back to a starting point.

“In school, we learned about the water cycle and how rain falls and evaporates.”

“The economic cycle typically involves periods of rapid growth followed by a slowdown or recession before the pattern repeats.”

02a bicycle or similar vehicle

A2 · Elementary Countable noun Sports

n. a vehicle with wheels that you move by pushing pedals with your feet.

n. a pedal-powered vehicle, such as a bicycle or tricycle, or occasionally a motorized two-wheeled vehicle.

“He decided to go for a long cycle through the park on Sunday morning.”

“The city council invested in new infrastructure to encourage residents to use their cycles for the daily commute instead of driving.”

Synonyms

03machine program

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. one complete program on a machine, like a washing machine or dishwasher.

n. a single complete operation or set of operations performed by a mechanical device.

“The washing machine is on its final spin cycle now.”

“To protect the delicate silk blouses, she selected the gentle cycle and used a specialized detergent.”

Synonyms

04series of artistic works

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Music Formal

n. a group of songs, poems, or stories that are connected to each other.

n. a series of related artistic, literary, or musical works intended to be performed or read as a sequence.

“The singer performed a famous cycle of songs about lost love.”

“The poet spent a decade composing a sonnet cycle that explored the shifting landscape of the industrial north.”

Synonyms

05aircraft pressurization

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Aviation Technical

n. one complete flight including takeoff and landing.

n. a single takeoff and landing sequence that subjects an aircraft's fuselage to a pressurization and depressurization event.

“The plane was retired after completing forty thousand cycles.”

“Maintenance schedules for short-haul aircraft are often determined by the number of flight cycles rather than total flight hours due to structural stress.”

Synonyms

06to ride a bicycle

A2 · Elementary Sports

v. to travel somewhere using a bicycle.

v. to ride a bicycle or similar pedal-powered vehicle as a means of transport or exercise.

“She cycles to work every day to stay fit and save money.”

“They planned to cycle across the European continent, stopping at small villages along the way to experience the local culture.”

Synonyms

07to move through a sequence

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to move through a list or a series of options one by one.

v. to pass through a series of stages or to move through a set of items repeatedly.

“You can cycle through the different camera modes by pressing this button.”

“The display screen cycles through various advertisements every thirty seconds to maximize exposure for the sponsors.”

Synonyms

08to restart power

C1 · Advanced Computing Technical

v. to turn a machine off and then on again to fix a problem.

v. to turn an electronic device off and back on, typically to reset the system or clear an error.

“If the router stops working, try to cycle the power.”

“The technician advised the user to power cycle the server to ensure the new configuration settings were properly applied.”

Usage

Often used as 'power cycle'.

Synonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cycle” in context.

01. break cycle 02. cycle begin

Etymology

From Middle English cicle (“fixed length period of years”), from Late Latin cyclus, from Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos, “circle”), from Proto-Hellenic kúklos, kʷókʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos (“circle, wheel”). Doublet of chakra, chakram, charkha, chukker, cyclus, kike, and wheel (see there for more).

From -cycle (in bicycle, monocycle, and tricycle), perhaps associated with etymology 1. Compare French cycle in the same sense. The verb is either from the noun or a clipping of bicycle (verb).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Idioms

Domains

AviationBotanyElectronicsSports

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
Frequency
Common
Level
A2 · ElementaryOxford
Updated

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