Standard Lemma guide

cyclical

adj · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈsaɪklɪkəl/
  • /ˈsɪklɪkəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S AY1 K L IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: S IH1 K L IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Recurring at regular intervals.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: periodic, cyclic, cyclical, periodical, regular

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Rolled up circularly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

Examples

  • a cyclical embryo

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A stock of a cyclical company.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural, often

Topics: business, finance

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

recurring in cycles

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cyclic

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kwel- Proto-Indo-European *kwékwlos Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) Ancient Greek κυκλῐκός (kuklĭkós)bor. Classical Latin cyclicuslbor. Middle French cyclique French cycliquebor. ▲ Classical Latin cyclicusbor. English cyclic English -al English cyclical From cyclic + -al.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: syklinen — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic
  • Finnish: jaksoittainen — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic
  • German: zyklisch — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic
  • Irish: rialta — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic
  • Irish: féiltiúil — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic
  • Persian: چرخهای (čarxe-'i) — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic
  • Scottish Gaelic: cearclach — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic
  • Spanish: cíclico — recurring at regular intervals — see also cyclic