periodic
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
happening again and again at regular times.
occurring or appearing at regular intervals of time.
Simple“The machine requires periodic maintenance to keep it running smoothly.”
In context“The company conducts periodic reviews of its safety protocols to ensure they remain compliant with the latest industry regulations.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
having a pattern that repeats itself exactly over time.
having a structure or behavior characterized by repeated cycles or periods.
Simple“The ocean tides are a periodic movement caused by the moon.”
In context“The researcher observed a periodic fluctuation in the data, suggesting that the chemical reaction followed a predictable cycle every four hours.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
relating to the time it takes for a planet or moon to complete one circle.
pertaining to the time taken for a celestial object to complete one full revolution in its orbit.
Simple“Comets have periodic orbits that bring them near Earth every few decades.”
In context“The periodic motion of the planets was first accurately described using elliptical models rather than perfect circles.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
relating to a specific type of acid that contains iodine.
relating to or derived from an acid of iodine in its highest oxidation state.
Simple“The teacher explained how periodic acid is used in some laboratory tests.”
In context“The technician prepared a solution of periodic acid to act as an oxidizing agent in the histological staining process.”
UsagePronounced /ˌpɜːraɪˈɒdɪk/ (per-iodic) unlike the common word /ˌpɪəriˈɒdɪk/.
“They received periodic health education along with broad lifestyle recommendations.”
“If a structure is periodic, researchers can analyze only a small portion of it and predict the behavior of the entire device.”
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.
From per- + iodic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.