periodic
n.— «I thought he had sobered up during our growing up years. I was wrong. He was what is known as a “periodic.” He revealed his dual life to my sister and to me as we entered college, then regularly showed up on campus to get drunk with his old frat brothers.» —“Sometimes, fathers set an example of what not to do” by S. Derrickson Moore Las Cruces Sun-News (New Mexico) June 16, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Unwrap the name of a candy bar, and you just might find a story inside. For instance, one chewy treat found in many a checkout lane is named after a family’s beloved horse. And: 50 years ago in the United States, some Latino elementary...
The edge of the Grand Canyon. A remote mountaintop. A medieval cathedral. Some places are so mystical you feel like you’re close to another dimension of space and time. There’s a term for such locales: thin places. And: did you ever go...