Word
periodical
Phoneticspe·ri·od·i·cal
US/ˌpɪɹiˈɑdɪkəɫ/
UK/pˌiəɹɪˈɒdɪkəl/
Definition
n. a magazine or newspaper that is published at regular times, such as every week or every month. You usually find these in libraries or academic settings.
n. a publication issued at regular intervals, such as a journal, magazine, or newspaper. Often refers specifically to scholarly or professional journals in a library context.
Examples
“The library has a large collection of scientific periodicals.”
“Researchers must cite the specific volume and issue number of the periodical when referencing the study.”
“While digital archives have replaced many physical stacks, the university still maintains subscriptions to several print periodicals that are not yet available in a searchable online format.”
Examples
simple
“The library has a large collection of scientific periodicals.”
contextual
“Researchers must cite the specific volume and issue number of the periodical when referencing the study.”
complex
“While digital archives have replaced many physical stacks, the university still maintains subscriptions to several print periodicals that are not yet available in a searchable online format.”
Usage
Often used in plural form when referring to a library's collection.
Real-World Examples
“El Niño, a pattern of periodical sea surface warming, affects weather systems globally.” “In the follow-up to global bestseller Lessons in Chemistry, it’s 1982 New York and young Batter Gray lands a job at the eponymous poetry periodical, run by feuding twin brothers.” Etymology
From period + -ical.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/periodical