periodic

/ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/

//ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk// adj

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

"periodic" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“periodic” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,473 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#12,473
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Relative to a period or periods.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

periodic vs periodical
80% similar
periodic vs period
75% similar

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

Key facts for periodic
PropertyValue
Headwordperiodic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#12,473
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “periodic” 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). periodic 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 periodic is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,473 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for periodic, with forms such as "epriodic", "peirodic", and "peridoic". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "periodical", "period", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French périodique, from Medieval Latin periodicus (“cyclical”), from Latin periodus (“complete sentence, period, circuit”), from Ancient Greek περίοδος (períodos, “cycle, period of time”). By surface analysis, period + -ic. The correct English form is periodic, spelled P-E-R-I-O-D-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Relative to a period or periods.
  2. 2
    Having repeated cycles.
  3. 3
    Occurring at regular intervals.
  4. 4
    Periodical.
  5. 5
    Pertaining to the revolution of a celestial object in its orbit.
  6. 6
    For which any return to it must occur in multiples of k time steps, for some k>1.
  7. 7
    Having a structure characterized by periodic sentences.

Etymology

From French périodique, from Medieval Latin periodicus (“cyclical”), from Latin periodus (“complete sentence, period, circuit”), from Ancient Greek περίοδος (períodos, “cycle, period of time”). By surface analysis, period + -ic.

Synonyms

cycliccyclicalperiodicperiodicalregular

Antonyms

acyclicalirregularnoncyclicnoncyclicalunperiodic

This word in other languages

periódico(Español)périodique(Français)periodisch(Deutsch)periódico(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epriodic,peirodic,peridoic,periodci,perioddic,periodicc,perioidc,peroidic,perriodic,pperiodic,preiodic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of periodic - 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.

epriodic2peirodic2peridoic2periodci2perioddic1periodicc1perioidc2peroidic2
Edit distance from "periodic"

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 "periodic"?
"periodic" is spelled P-E-R-I-O-D-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/.
What does "periodic" mean?
As an adjective, "periodic" means: Relative to a period or periods.
What words are commonly confused with "periodic"?
"periodic" is commonly confused with "periodical", "period". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "periodic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "periodic" is /ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/. 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 "periodic"?
From French périodique, from Medieval Latin periodicus (“cyclical”), from Latin periodus (“complete sentence, period, circuit”), from Ancient Greek περίοδος (períodos, “cycle, period of time”). By surface analysis, period + -ic. 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 “periodic”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-E-R-I-O-D-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌpɪɹiˈɒdɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “periodical” - see the side-by-side comparison. periodic vs periodical
  • 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