Main Entry:

¹cy·cle

Pronunciation:

\ˈsī-kəl\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English cicle, from Late Latin cyclus, from Greek kyklos circle, wheel, cycle — more at wheel

Date:

14th century

1: an interval of time during which a sequence of a recurring succession of events or phenomena is completed <a 4-year cycle of growth and development>2 a: a course or series of events or operations that recur regularly and usually lead back to the starting point b: one complete performance of a vibration, electric oscillation, current alternation, or other periodic process c: a permutation of a set of ordered elements in which each element takes the place of the next and the last becomes first d: a takeoff and landing of an airplane3: a circular or spiral arrangement: as a: an imaginary circle or orbit in the heavens b: ring 10 4: a long period of time : age5 a: a group of creative works (as poems, plays, or songs) treating the same theme b: a series of narratives dealing typically with the exploits of a legendary hero6 a: bicycle b: tricycle c: motorcycle7: the series of a single, double, triple, and home run hit in any order by one player during one baseball game