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

Synonyms of periodic

• frequent
• regular
• repeated
• periodical
• constant

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

The bank—which covers Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, as well as parts of Wisconsin and Michigan—issued one of its periodic Beige Book reports on business and economic conditions on Wednesday. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026

Cyber threats evolve quickly, which means periodic testing helps organizations stay ahead of emerging risks. —Malana Vantyler march 6, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026

The private credit specialist will instead switch to periodic payouts funded by asset sales, earnings and other strategic deals. —Hugh Leask, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026

Despite the existing clouds, there will probably be large breaks and openings that will allow for periodic views of the moon going into eclipse, especially for places with no more than 50% sky cover. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing periodic

• periodic acid
• periodic law
• periodic sentence
• periodic table

Rhymes for periodic

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

Kids 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