cyclic

1 of 2

adjective

cy·​clic ˈsī-klik 

also

ˈsi- 

variants or cyclical

ˈsī-kli-kəl 

ˈsi-

1

a

: of, relating to, or being a cycle

b

: moving in cycles

cyclic time

c

: of, relating to, or being a chemical compound containing a ring of atoms

2

cyclic : being a mathematical group that has an element such that every element of the group can be expressed as one of its powers

cyclically

ˈsī-kli-k(ə-)lē 

ˈsi-

adverb

or less commonly cyclicly

ˈsī-kli-klē 

ˈsi-

cyclic

2 of 2

noun

: a helicopter control that governs horizontal thrust by adjusting the pitch of individual rotor blades during their rotation

Examples of cyclic in a Sentence

Adjective

cyclic changes in the weather

the cyclical nature of history

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Big Bounce: The Universe collapses and then expands again, potentially in a cyclic process. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

First, pertussis naturally occurs in cyclic epidemics, peaking every two to five years. —Annette Regan, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025

Noun

Researchers sorted 114 people into four groups and asked them to practice mindful meditation or one breathing exercise — box breathing, cyclic hyperventilation or cyclic sighing — for five minutes a day for 28 days. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 7 Mar. 2023

New cyclic models get around the problem, Kinney and one of his colleagues have found, by requiring that the universe expands by a lot with each cycle. —James Riordon, Scientific American, 24 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from French cyclique, going back to Middle French, "of a narrative cycle," borrowed from Latin cyclicus "of a cycle of epics" (Late Latin also, "circular, encyclopedic, recurrent [of a sickness, fever, etc.]), borrowed from Greek kyklikós "of a circle, circular, of a cycle of epics," from kýklos "circle, wheel" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at wheel entry 1

Noun

short for cyclic pitch control

First Known Use

Adjective

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cyclic

• cyclic AMP
• cyclic GMP

Rhymes for cyclic

• epicyclic
• macrocyclic
• monocyclic
• heterocyclic