cyclic

/ˈsaɪ.klɪk/

//ˈsaɪ.klɪk// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cyclic" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cyclic” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,506 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#23,506
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals; cyclical

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cyclic vs cynic
67% similar
cyclic vs cystic
67% similar
cyclic vs cycling
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for cyclic
PropertyValue
Headwordcyclic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsaɪ.klɪk/
Letters6
Frequency rank#23,506
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cyclic” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cyclic lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for cyclic is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsaɪ.klɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,506 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for cyclic, with forms such as "ccyclic", "ccylic", and "cycclic". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "cynic", "cystic", "cycling", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French cyclique or its etymon Classical Latin cyclicus, from Ancient Greek κυκλικός (kuklikós). By surface analysis, cycle + -ic. Piecewise doublet of chakric. The correct English form is cyclic, spelled C-Y-C-L-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals; cyclical
  2. 2
    Having chains of atoms arranged in a ring.
  3. 3
    Having parts arranged in a whorl.
  4. 4
    Being generated by only one element.
  5. 5
    Able to be inscribed in a circle.
  6. 6
    Firing at its full cyclic rate.

Etymology

From French cyclique or its etymon Classical Latin cyclicus, from Ancient Greek κυκλικός (kuklikós). By surface analysis, cycle + -ic. Piecewise doublet of chakric.

Synonyms

periodicperiodic

Antonyms

acyclic

This word in other languages

cíclico(Español)cyclique(Français)zyklisch(Deutsch)cíclico(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccyclic,ccylic,cycclic,cycilc,cyclci,cyclicc,cycllic,cylcic,cyyclic,ycclic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cyclic - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccyclic1ccylic2cycclic1cycilc2cyclci2cyclicc1cycllic1cylcic2
Edit distance from "cyclic"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cyclic"?
"cyclic" is spelled C-Y-C-L-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsaɪ.klɪk/.
What does "cyclic" mean?
As an adjective, "cyclic" means: Characterized by, or moving in cycles, or happening at regular intervals; cyclical
What words are commonly confused with "cyclic"?
"cyclic" is commonly confused with "cynic", "cystic", "cycling". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cyclic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cyclic" is /ˈsaɪ.klɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cyclic"?
From French cyclique or its etymon Classical Latin cyclicus, from Ancient Greek κυκλικός (kuklikós). By surface analysis, cycle + -ic. Piecewise doublet of chakric. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cyclic”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-Y-C-L-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsaɪ.klɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cynic” - see the side-by-side comparison. cyclic vs cynic
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list