episodic

adjective

ep·​i·​sod·​ic ˌe-pə-ˈsä-dik 

also

-ˈzä- 

variants or less commonly episodical

ˌe-pə-ˈsä-di-kəl 

 also  -ˈzä-

1

: made up of separate especially loosely connected episodes

2

: having the form of an episode

3

: of or limited in duration or significance to a particular episode : temporary

may be able to establish whether the sea-floor spreading is continuous or episodic

—A. I. Hammond

4

: occurring, appearing, or changing at usually irregular intervals : occasional

an episodic illness

episodically

ˌe-pə-ˈsä-di-k(ə-)lē 

 also  -ˈzä-

adverb

Synonyms

• serial
• serialized

Examples of episodic in a Sentence

the long novel was filmed for television as an episodic movie that was shown over the course of five evenings

malaria is characterized by episodic attacks of chills and fever that coincide with mass destruction of blood cells

Recent Examples on the Web

It was also positively linked to overall cognition and day-to-day (episodic) memory. —New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2025

Unfortunately, the story is not an episodic one. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025

Making episodic network television has always been a process of trial and error, as writers and cast gradually figure out which story lines and characters really pop and which drive the show into a ditch. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025

That Makima disappears for most of the remaining drama and chaos reiterates the film’s episodic quality. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for episodic

• periodic
• anodic
• melodic
• prosodic
• rhapsodic
• spasmodic
• antispasmodic
• aperiodic
• photoperiodic
• sodic