Periodical

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Periodic \Pe`ri*od"ic\ (p[=e]`r[i^]*[o^]d"[i^]k), Periodical
  \Pe`ri*od"ic*al\ (p[=e]`r[i^]*[o^]d"[i^]*kal), a. [L.
     periodicus, Gr. periodiko`s: cf. F. p['e]riodique.]
     1. Of or pertaining to a period or periods, or to division by
        periods.
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              The periodical times of all the satellites. --Sir J.
                                                    Herschel.
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     2. Performed in a period, or regular revolution; proceeding
        in a series of successive circuits; as, the periodical
        motion of the planets round the sun.
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     3. Happening, by revolution, at a stated time; returning
        regularly, after a certain period of time.
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              The periodic return of a plant's flowering.
                                                    --Henslow.
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              To influence opinion through the periodical press.
                                                    --Courthope.
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     4. Acting, happening, or appearing, at fixed or somewhat
        variable intervals; recurring; as, periodical epidemics
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     5. (Rhet.) Of or pertaining to a period; constituting a
        complete sentence.
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     {Periodic comet} (Astron.), a comet that moves about the sun
        in an elliptic orbit; a comet that has been seen at two of
        its approaches to the sun.
  
     {Periodic function} (Math.), a function whose values recur at
        fixed intervals as the variable uniformly increases. The
        trigonomertic functions, as sin(x), tan(x), etc., are
        periodic functions. Exponential functions are also
        periodic, having an imaginary period, and the elliptic
        functions have not only a real but an imaginary period,
        and are hence called doubly periodic.
  
     {Periodic law} (Chem.), the generalization that the
        properties of the chemical elements are periodic functions
        of their atomic weights. "In other words, if the elements
        are grouped in the order of their atomic weights, it will
        be found that nearly the same properties recur
        periodically throughout the entire series." The following
        tabular arrangement of the atomic weights shows the
        regular recurrence of groups (under I., II., III., IV.,
        etc.), each consisting of members of the same natural
        family. The gaps in the table indicate the probable
        existence of unknown elements.
  
     {Periodic table}, {Periodic table of the elements} (Chem.), A
        tabular arrangement of the chemical elements, illustrating
        the {periodic law}, described above.
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     Note: Note: A modern version of the periodic table can be
           found at: http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/default.htm
           [PJC] TABLE OF THE PERIODIC LAW OF THE CHEMICAL
           ELEMENTS (The vertical columns contain the periodic
           groups) Series1[ 2[ 3[ 4[ 5[ 6[ 7[ 8[ 9[ 10[ 11[ 12[
           --------------------------------------------------------------
           |I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. | RH4 RH3 RH3 RH
           |R2O RO R3O3 RO2 R2O5 RO3 R2O7 RO4
           --------------------------------------------------------------
           H
           1
           Li
           7
           Na
           23
           K
           39
           (Cu)
           63
           Rb
           85.2
           (Ag)
           (108)
           Cs
           133
           (-)
           (-)
           (Au)
           (197)
  
           ---------------------------------------------------------------
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     Note: A similar relation had been enunciated in a crude way
           by Newlands; but the law in its effective form was
           developed and elaborated by Mendelejeff, whence it is
           sometimes called {Mendelejeff's law}. Important
           extensions of it were also made by L. Meyer. By this
           means Mendelejeff predicted with remarkable accuracy
           the hypothetical elements ekaboron, ekaluminium, and
           ekasilicon, afterwards discovered and named
           respectively scandium, gallium, and germanium.
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     {Periodic star} (Astron.), a variable star whose changes of
        brightness recur at fixed periods.
  
     {Periodic time of a heavenly body} (Astron.), the time of a
        complete revolution of the body about the sun, or of a
        satellite about its primary.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Periodical \Pe`ri*od"ic*al\, n.
     A magazine or other publication which appears at stated or
     regular intervals.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  periodical
       adj : happening or recurring at regular intervals [syn: {periodic}]
             [ant: {aperiodic}]
       n : a publication that appears at fixed intervals

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  55 Moby Thesaurus words for "periodical":
     airing, almanac, alternate, annual, bandying, bimonthly, biweekly,
     book, broadcast, broadcasting, bruiting, bruiting about,
     circulation, daily, daybook, diary, diffusion, display,
     dissemination, ephemeris, evulgation, fortnightly, gazette,
     hebdomadal, isochronal, issuance, issue, journal, magazine,
     monthly, newsletter, newsmagazine, newspaper, organ, paper,
     pictorial, printing, promulgation, propagation, publication,
     publishing, quarterly, recurring, renew, review, serial,
     slick magazine, spread, spreading, spreading abroad, telecasting,
     trade magazine, ventilation, weekly, yearbook