cycle

The word “cycle” means a series of events that repeats itself in the same order. In plain terms, a repeating sequence of events (like the seasons or a washing-machine program), or, informally, a bicycle.

“Cycle” is pronounced SEYE-kuhl (/ˈsaɪ.kəl/ in IPA).

Here is “cycle” used in a sentence: “The economy moves through cycles of growth and recession.”

Depending on how it is used, “cycle” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “cycle” comes from Ancient Greek. From Late Latin cyclus, from Ancient Greek kuklos ("circle"), from a very old Indo-European word for "wheel" — the same root that ultimately gives us "wheel" itself.

“Cycle” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Cycle” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a series of events that repeats itself in the same order.

Both repeat, but a cycle is a series of distinct stages that return to the start in a set order, like the seasons. A loop simply repeats the same action or path over and over. A cycle implies progression through phases before coming round again, while a loop can be plain repetition.

Cycles appear across nature and daily life: natural ones like the water cycle, the seasons, and the life cycle of a plant; economic ones like boom-and-bust cycles; and mechanical ones like an engine or wash cycle. What unites them is a fixed sequence of events that comes round again in the same order.

The water cycle is a classic example: water evaporates, forms clouds, falls as rain, collects in rivers and seas, then evaporates again, repeating endlessly in the same order. Other everyday examples include the day-night cycle, the seasons, and the life cycle of birth, growth, and reproduction.