1. not forming or arranged in a cycle; not recurring in cycles
Usage: general use
2. (chemistry) containing no rings of atoms in the molecular structure; aliphatic
Usage: technical; chemistry
3. (mathematics, graph theory) containing no cycles; having no closed paths
Usage: technical; mathematics

Examples

• The acyclic nature of the process means it does not repeat in regular intervals.
• Acyclic compounds lack the ring structures found in benzene and other aromatic molecules.
• An acyclic graph is useful in representing hierarchical data structures like trees.
• The acyclic pattern of rainfall in this region makes long-term planning difficult.
• In computer science, acyclic directed graphs are commonly used in dependency analysis.
• Ethane is an example of a simple acyclic hydrocarbon.