periodic 1
— periodically , adv.
/pear'ee od"ik/ , adj.
1. recurring at intervals of time: periodic revivals of an interest in handicrafts.
2. occurring or appearing at regular intervals: periodic visits of a mail steamer to an island.
3. repeated at irregular intervals; intermittent: periodic outbreaks of the disease.
4. Physics. recurring at equal intervals of time.
5. Math. (of a function) having a graph that repeats after a fixed interval (period) of the independent variable.
6. Astron.
a. characterized by a series of successive circuits or revolutions, as the motion of a planet or satellite.
b. of or pertaining to a period, as of the revolution of a heavenly body.
7. pertaining to or characterized by rhetorical periods, or periodic sentences.
[ 1635-45; periodicus periodikós. See PERIOD, -IC ]
periodic 2
/perr'uy od"ik/ , adj. Chem.
of or derived from a periodic acid.
[ 1830-40; PER- + IODIC ]