|pirē|ädik, |pēr-, -dēk adjective
Etymology: French périodique, from Latin periodicus, from Greek periodikos, from periodos period + -ikos -ic — more at period
1.
a. : characterized by periods : occurring at regular intervals
periodic phases of the moon
periodic municipal elections
b. : occurring repeatedly from time to time : recurrent , intermittent
periodic epidemics
periodic drinking sprees
: frequent
one of Bermuda's periodic power failures — Time
2. : consisting of a series of stages or processes that is regularly repeated : cyclic
periodic vibration
3. : of or relating to a period
house was pleasant and comfortable, they were too sophisticated to be periodic — Scribner's
4.
a. : of or relating to a form of construction found in some Greek odes in which the second and third in a group of four strophes are alike in structure and the first and fourth differ from these and from each other
b. : expressed in or characterized by periodic sentences
periodic style