periodic
happening regularly over time
Happening again and again with a regular time gap in between.
periodic [check/review/payment/event]
- The company carries out periodic safety inspections of all its factories.
- You should schedule periodic checkups with your doctor, even if you feel healthy.
- The contract requires periodic payments every three months.
- The committee will provide periodic reports on the progress of the project.
- Periodic maintenance of the air-conditioning system prevents expensive breakdowns.
- I go for periodic health checks every year.
- The school sends periodic emails to parents.
- We have periodic meetings to talk about our work.
- The car needs periodic service to stay in good condition.
showing a repeating scientific pattern
In math and science, describing something whose behavior repeats in the same way after a set time or distance.
periodic [function/signal/motion/structure]
- A sine wave is a classic example of a periodic function.
- The pendulum shows nearly periodic motion under small oscillations.
- The researcher analyzed the periodic signal produced by the rotating machine.
- In chemistry, the properties of the elements change in a periodic way as atomic number increases.
- The crystal has a highly ordered, periodic structure at the atomic level.
- In math class we learned that a sine curve is periodic.
- The scientist studied the periodic movement of the star.
- The light from the tower is periodic and flashes every ten seconds.
- The graph shows a periodic pattern that repeats again and again.
describing a type of sentence structure
Talking about a long sentence where the most important part comes at the end, after many other parts.
periodic [sentence/style/prose]
- The author opens the chapter with a long periodic sentence that delays the main point until the final clause.
- Periodic sentences were common in classical oratory, where delaying the main verb created a sense of suspense.
- Her essay overuses periodic structures, making the argument feel heavy and overly formal.
- In this lesson we studied what a periodic sentence is.
- A periodic sentence keeps the main idea until the end.
- Some writers use periodic style to sound formal.
- Base: periodic
periodic check
1regular check-up or inspection
A check that happens again and again after a certain amount of time has passed.
- Drivers must pass a periodic check of their eyesight.
- The system runs a periodic check for software updates.
periodic function
1math function that repeats regularly
In math, a function whose graph repeats the same shape again and again after a fixed distance on the x-axis.
- The teacher used a circle to explain what a periodic function is.
- Cosine is another example of a periodic function.
periodic inspection
1regular formal inspection
A careful and official check that happens regularly.
- The building is subject to periodic inspection by fire officials.
- Periodic inspections ensure that safety standards are met.
periodic maintenance
1regular planned upkeep
Work that you do again and again at set times to keep a machine or system in good condition.
- Periodic maintenance of the heating system reduces the risk of breakdowns.
- The contract includes periodic maintenance for all installed equipment.
periodic motion
1repeating physical movement over time
In physics, movement that repeats itself in the same way after the same time again and again.
- A swinging pendulum is an example of periodic motion.
- The study of periodic motion is important in understanding waves and vibrations.
periodic payment
1regular scheduled payment
Money that you pay again and again on a fixed schedule, like every month or every year.
- The loan will be repaid through periodic payments over five years.
- Tenants must make periodic payments of rent on the first of each month.
periodic report
1regularly issued update report
A document that gives news or numbers and is written again and again at planned times.
- The manager submits periodic reports on sales figures to headquarters.
- Periodic reports help investors track the company’s performance.
periodic review
1regular check or evaluation
A check or evaluation that happens again and again at planned times.
- Employees have a periodic review of their performance every six months.
- The policy is subject to periodic review by the board.
periodic table
1chart of the chemical elements
A chart that shows all known chemical elements, arranged by their atomic number and similar chemical behavior.
- Students were asked to label the metals on the periodic table.
- Hydrogen appears in the top left corner of the periodic table.
periodic table of the elements
1full name of elements chart
The full name for the periodic table, the chart that shows all the chemical elements.
- In chemistry class we reviewed the periodic table of the elements.
- The poster of the periodic table of the elements hung on the lab wall.