Definition of periodic
1a : occurring or recurring at regular intervalsb : occurring repeatedly from time to time
2a : consisting of or containing a series of repeated stages, processes, or digits : cyclic periodic decimals a periodic vibrationb : being a function any value of which recurs at regular intervals
3 : expressed in or characterized by periodic sentences
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Examples of periodic in a Sentence
He takes the car in for periodic oil changes.
sent out periodic reminders about the office dress code
Recent Examples of periodic from the Web
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After being subject to the president’s periodic attempts to rally support for the various repeal bills, some perplexed lawmakers suggested Mr Trump did not seem to understand them.
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On-shore flow may give residents along the lake periodic reprieves.
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Periodical cicadas are broken into two groups based on its 17 or 13-year periodic appearances.
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Heal the Bay, which posts periodic report cards on water quality along the California coast, had noted some dramatic improvements in 2016—until the history-making storms hit.
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Ryan, who really is the person best situated to close the circus down, seems to be afflicted with one of his periodic bouts of invisibility, poor lad.
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All information — the Draft EIR, and a periodic e-newsletter providing updates — is available at escondido.org/ecc.aspx.
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A handful of other slides have been active since January with periodic closures, and in May the region was rocked again: At Mud Creek, an entire hillside collapsed, burying a quarter mile of roadway under millions of tons of rock and dirt.
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The data over time suggest the orcas experienced periodic nutritional stress, partly caused by variation in the timing and strength of the salmon runs in the Columbia and Fraser rivers, the study said.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'periodic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of periodic
1650
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
PERIODIC Defined for English Language Learners
periodic
playDefinition of periodic for English Language Learners
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: happening regularly over a period of time
PERIODIC Defined for Kids
periodic
playDefinition of periodic for Students
: occurring regularly over a period of time
Medical Dictionary
periodic
playMedical Definition of periodic
: occurring or recurring at regular intervals periodic epidemics
Learn More about periodic
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for periodic Spanish Central: Translation of periodic Nglish: Translation of periodic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of periodic for Arabic speakers
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