PERIODIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does periodic mean? 

• PERIODIC (adjective)
  The adjective PERIODIC has 2 senses:

1. happening or recurring at regular intervals

2. recurring or reappearing from time to time

  Familiarity information: PERIODIC used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PERIODIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Happening or recurring at regular intervals

Synonyms:

periodic; periodical

Context example:

the periodic appearance of the seventeen-year locust

Similar:

biweekly; fortnightly (occurring every two weeks)

midweekly (occurring during the middle of the week)

semestral; semestrial (occurring every six months or during every period of six months)

bimonthly; semimonthly (occurring twice a month)

bimestrial; bimonthly (occurring every two months)

monthly (of or occurring or payable every month)

triennial (occurring every third year or lasting 3 years)

biennial; biyearly (occurring every second year)

biannual; biyearly; half-yearly; semiannual (occurring or payable twice each year)

annual; yearly (occurring or payable every year)

half-hourly (occurring ever half hour)

hourly (occurring every hour or payable by the hour)

biweekly; semiweekly (occurring twice a week)

hebdomadal; hebdomadary; weekly (of or occurring every seven days)

nightly (happening every night)

daily; day-after-day; day-by-day; day-to-day (of or belonging to or occurring every day)

diurnal (having a daily cycle or occurring every day)

oscillating; oscillatory (having periodic vibrations)

cyclic (marked by repeated cycles)

Antonym:

aperiodic (not recurring at regular intervals)

Derivation:

periodicity (the quality of recurring at regular intervals)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Recurring or reappearing from time to time

Synonyms:

occasional; periodic

Context example:

periodic feelings of anxiety

Similar:

sporadic (recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances)

 Context examples 

But, until now, we did not know the location of the final, undiscovered process, known as rapid neutron capture, that created the heavier elements in the periodic table.

(First identification of a heavy element born from neutron star collision, ESO)

The scientists recently authored a new study that moves picoscience in yet another direction: taking elements from the periodic table and tinkering with them at the subatomic level to tease out new materials.

(Picoscience and a plethora of new materials, National Science Foundation)

Elements 113, 115, 117, and 118 complete the bottom row of the current periodic table.

(IUPAC proposes four new chemical element names, Wikinews)

Domains in DNA-binding proteins that contain amino acid sequences that show periodic arrays of leucine residues.

(Leucine Zipper, NCI Thesaurus)

Issue associated with inadequate periodic preventive maintenance or performance assurance checks.

(Inadequate Medical Device Service, Food and Drug Administration)

A rare disorder characterized by periodic inflammation and blockage of the vessels of the extremities, resulting in skin redness, swelling, and burning pain in the affected sites.

(Erythromelalgia, NCI Thesaurus)

Issue associate with facility not providing satisfactory initial and/or periodic user training covering operation of the device.

(Inadequate Device Operator Training, Food and Drug Administration)

Issue associated with the lack of periodic preventive maintenance or performance assurance checks.

(Medical Device Service Failure, Food and Drug Administration)

This complex but predictable pattern, called an orbital resonance, occurs when planets exert a regular, periodic gravitational tug on each other as they orbit their star.

(Astronomers Confirm Orbital Details of TRAPPIST-1’s Least Understood Planet, NASA)

Periodic Acid Schiff staining is useful for outlining tissue structures such as basement membranes, capsules and blood vessels.

(Periodic Acid Schiff Staining Method, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)