CYCLIC

cyclic, cyclical

(adjective) recurring in cycles

cyclic

(adjective) of a compound having atoms arranged in a ring structure

cyclic

(adjective) forming a whorl or having parts arranged in a whorl; “cyclic petals”; “cyclic flowers”

cyclic

(adjective) marked by repeated cycles

cyclic

(adjective) conforming to the Carnot cycle

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

cyclic (comparative more cyclic, superlative most cyclic)

Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals.

(chemistry, of a compound) Having chains of atoms arranged in a ring.

(botany) Having parts arranged in a whorl.

(mathematics, of a group) Being generated by only one element.

(geometry, of a polygon) Able to be inscribed in a circle.

Synonyms

• (happening at regular intervals): periodic; see also periodic

Antonyms

• acyclic

Source: Wiktionary

Cyc"lic (sk"lk or s"klk), Cyc"lic*al (sk"l-kal), a. Etym: [Cf. F. cycluque, Gr.Cycle.]

Definition: Of or pertaining to a cycle or circle; moving in cycles; as, cyclical time. Coleridge. Cyclic chorus, the chorus which performed the songs and dances of the dithyrambic odes at Athens, dancing round the altar of Bacchus in a circle.

– Cyclic poets, certain epic poets who followed Homer, and wrote merely on the Trojan war and its heroes; -- so called because keeping within the circle of a singe subject. Also, any series or coterie of poets writing on one subject. Milman.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition