iterate
IT-uh-rayt
/ˈɪtəreɪt/
To perform or utter repeatedly; to refine a product or idea through repeated cycles of testing and modification.
Focuses on step-by-step improvement through repeated trial loops.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'iterum', meaning 'again'. In ancient rhetoric, it meant restating an argument; in modern tech, it means evolving a prototype through repeating cycles.
Word relationships
- repeat: Repeat means doing the exact same thing again; iterate means doing it again with modifications to improve.
- finalize: Finalize stops cycle modifications, locking in the end result.
Commonly confused with
- reiterate: Reiterate means to restate verbally for emphasis; iterate means to cycle through process versions.
Word family
- iteration (noun): A single version or repetition of a process.
- iterative (adjective): Involving repetition and cyclical polish.
Collocations
- iterate rapidly
- iterate on design
- iterate continuously
Idioms & expressions
- rinse and repeat
Example sentences
- "Engineers must iterate on their design several times based on user feedback before releasing the app." Software design
- "The team chose to iterate rapidly, building fifteen prototypes in a single month." Industrial development
Memory hook
RE-ITERATE is to repeat words; ITERATE is to test IT AGAIN. Cycle through again to make it better.
When not to use
Do not use for doing something once perfectly without modifications.
Fun facts
- Agile software development is built entirely around short design iterations called sprints.
Related words
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