periodic
adjective
pe·ri·od·ic
ˌpir-ē-ˈä-dik 
1
a
: occurring or recurring at regular intervals
b
: occurring repeatedly from time to time
2
a
: consisting of or containing a series of repeated stages, processes, or digits : cyclic
periodic decimals
a periodic vibration
b
: being a function any value of which recurs at regular intervals
3
: expressed in or characterized by periodic sentences
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 on the Web
Traditional extract, transform and load (ETL) systems—built for periodic batch jobs—fall short in these contexts.
—
Shinoy Vengaramkode Bhaskaran, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Beyond that, periodic chances of showers and storms will continue throughout the rest of the week.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 7 July 2025
By the 1850s, dwindling bison herds south of the Platt River were resulting in periodic famines and violent rivalries over the dwindling resource.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2025
But for those still hoping to break into this bracket, Andy Smith of Edelman said the key is long-term discipline and commitment to one's own financial plans, regardless of headlines and periodic economic volatilities.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for periodic
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Shinoy Vengaramkode Bhaskaran, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Beyond that, periodic chances of showers and storms will continue throughout the rest of the week.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 7 July 2025
By the 1850s, dwindling bison herds south of the Platt River were resulting in periodic famines and violent rivalries over the dwindling resource.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2025
But for those still hoping to break into this bracket, Andy Smith of Edelman said the key is long-term discipline and commitment to one's own financial plans, regardless of headlines and periodic economic volatilities.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for periodic
Cite this Entry
“Periodic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/periodic. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
periodic
adjective
pe·ri·od·ic
ˌpir-ē-ˈäd-ik
1
: occurring at regular intervals
2
: consisting of or containing a series of repeated stages
periodic vibrations
Medical Definition
periodic
adjective
pe·ri·od·ic
ˌpir-ē-ˈäd-ik
: occurring or recurring at regular intervals
periodic epidemics
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