iterate

[ it-uh-reyt ]

verb (used with object)

, it·er·at·ed, it·er·at·ing.

1. to do (something) over again or repeatedly.
2. to utter again or repeatedly.

   Synonyms: rehearse, repeat, reiterate

3. to develop (a product, process, or idea) by building upon previous versions or iterations, using each version as the point of departure for refinements and tweaks: We iterate the app after each round of customer feedback.

   The manufacturer will iterate production and distribution schedules based on consumer demand.

   We iterate the app after each round of customer feedback.

verb (used without object)

, it·er·at·ed, it·er·at·ing.

1. to operate or be applied repeatedly, as a linguistic rule or mathematical formula.
2. to create something by building on previous versions or iterations, using each version as the point of departure for refinements and tweaks:

   The game studio is iterating on all current animation sets to incorporate the popular new characters.

iterate

/ ˈɪtəˌreɪt /

verb

1. tr to say or do again; repeat

Derived Forms

• ˌiterˈation, noun
• ˈiterant, adjective

Other Words From

• un·iter·ated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of iterate¹

First recorded in 1525–35; < Latin iterātus, past participle of iterāre “to repeat, rehearse,” equivalent to iter- (stem of iterum “again”) + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of iterate¹

C16: from Latin iterāre, from iterum again

Example Sentences

He said there's been a big assumption in the plant-based food world that you either have to grow identical versions of animal-derived ingredients in a lab, or iterate on plant-based recipes manually.

From Salon

"He says this all the time now," Maddow continued, before airing a montage of Trump iterating the same point in various speeches.

From Salon

The studio intends to incorporate player feedback as it iterates on the game’s core features, which include crafting mechanics, resource gathering, unique loot and customizable equipment in addition to its quests.

From New York Times

A source close to Gino says researchers use such drafts to jot down ideas and theories to later iterate on, and that it is unfair to “draw parallels” between a draft and other sources.

From Science Magazine

The Neo-Futurists’ signature style involves presenting many very short plays in one evening: The original mission was to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes, but that idea has been iterated on over the years.

From Seattle Times