periodic table

noun

: an arrangement of chemical elements based on the periodic law
periodic table table

Examples of periodic table in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even silver and copper—from the same column of the periodic table—form weak oxides. — Chris Lee, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 Every character has an adorable quirk or two, or at minimum owns a dorky T-shirt with a periodic table joke or a cartoon cat. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 In their purest form, rare earths aren't rocks but elemental metals – deep cuts on the periodic table, numbers 57-through-71 and two others, for those scoring at home. — Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026 Or to put it another way, the nation states, treaties, and climate summits make up the globe, while climate modeling and evolution and the periodic table of elements and carbon cycle are what define the planet. — Literary Hub, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for periodic table

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of periodic table was in 1890

Rhymes for periodic table

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Browse Nearby Words

periodic sentence
periodic table
periodide
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Cite this Entry

“Periodic table.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/periodic%20table. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

periodic table

noun
: an arrangement of chemical elements in order of atomic number that groups elements with common characteristics in the same area of the table

Medical Definition

periodic table

noun
: an arrangement of chemical elements based on the periodic law

More from Merriam-Webster on periodic table

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about periodic table

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