CYCLIC

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does cyclic mean? 

• CYCLIC (adjective)
  The adjective CYCLIC has 5 senses:

1. conforming to the Carnot cycle

2. forming a whorl or having parts arranged in a whorl

3. of a compound having atoms arranged in a ring structure

4. recurring in cycles

5. marked by repeated cycles

  Familiarity information: CYCLIC used as an adjective is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CYCLIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Conforming to the Carnot cycle

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Domain category:

thermodynamics (the branch of physics concerned with the conversion of different forms of energy)

Pertainym:

Carnot cycle (a cycle (of expansion and compression) of an idealized reversible heat engine that does work without loss of heat)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Forming a whorl or having parts arranged in a whorl

Context example:

cyclic flowers

Similar:

verticillate; verticillated; whorled (forming one or more whorls (especially a whorl of leaves around a stem))

Domain category:

botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)

Antonym:

acyclic (not cyclic; especially having parts arranged in spirals rather than whorls)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Of a compound having atoms arranged in a ring structure

Similar:

bicyclic (having molecules consisting of two fused rings)

closed-chain; closed-ring (having atoms linked by bonds represented in circular or triangular form)

heterocyclic (containing a closed ring of atoms of which at least one is not a carbon atom)

homocyclic; isocyclic (containing a closed ring of atoms of the same kind especially carbon atoms)

Domain category:

chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)

Antonym:

acyclic (having an open chain structure)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Recurring in cycles

Synonyms:

cyclic; cyclical

Similar:

alternate; alternating (occurring by turns; first one and then the other)

alternate (every second one of a series)

circular; orbitual; rotary (describing a circle; moving in a circle)

Attribute:

cyclicity; periodicity (the quality of recurring at regular intervals)

Antonym:

noncyclic (not cyclic)

Derivation:

cycle (a periodically repeated sequence of events)

cycle (an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs)

cyclicity (the quality of recurring at regular intervals)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Marked by repeated cycles

Similar:

periodic; periodical (happening or recurring at regular intervals)

Derivation:

cycle (a periodically repeated sequence of events)

cyclicity (the quality of recurring at regular intervals)

 Context examples 

This protein plays a role in the export of cyclic nucleotides.

(Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 5, NCI Thesaurus)

A non-peptidomimetic, water soluble, cyclic urea that is a selective inhibitor of HIV-1 protease.

(Mozenavir, NCI Thesaurus)

Nitric oxide activates cytosolic guanylate cyclase and thus elevates intracellular levels of cyclic GMP.

(Nitric Oxide, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

In turn, nitroglycerin is converted into nitric oxide (NO), which activates guanylyl cyclase, increasing cyclic guanosine monophosphate concentration thus resulting in smooth muscle relaxation.

(Nitroglycerin Transdermal Patch, NCI Thesaurus)

They act by blocking the synthesis of prostaglandins by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, which converts arachidonic acid to cyclic endoperoxides, precursors of prostaglandins.

(Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drug, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Micafungin, like other cyclic lipopeptides, noncompetitively inhibits the fungal specific enzyme 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase, an enzyme essential for the synthesis of the important fungal cell wall component 1,3-beta-D-glucan.

(Micafungin Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)

Micafungin, like other cyclic lipopeptides, noncompetitively inhibits the fungal specific enzyme 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase, an enzyme essential for fungal cell wall synthesis.

(Micafungin, NCI Thesaurus)

A cyclic hexadepsipeptide antibiotic and mycotoxin isolated from the fungus Beauveria bassiana and various Fusarium fungal species.

(Beauvericin, NCI Thesaurus)

Carotenoid consisting of a cyclic structure on each end with additional double bonds at the number 5 and 5' carbon atoms of the cyclic structures.

(Beta-Carotene, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

MC1R activates the cyclic AMP (cAMP) response-element binding protein (CREB).

(Melanogenesis Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)