Iteration: meaning, definitions and examples

In creative and design contexts, iteration refers to refining and improving a product or idea through repeated cycles.

• The new design is the result of multiple iterations and client feedback

Repetition refers to doing the same thing multiple times. It can describe repeated actions, words, or patterns and is often used in educational, literary, and everyday contexts.

• Repetition is key to mastering new skills
• The song uses repetition of certain phrases to create a catchy rhythm

Looping is typically used in programming to describe a sequence of instructions that repeats until a certain condition is met. Also used in the context of music and multimedia to describe repeated audio or visual sequences.

• The for loop is a basic looping construct in many programming languages
• The soundtrack has a looping background melody

Recurrence is used to describe something that happens repeatedly over time, often at regular intervals. Commonly used in medical, mathematical, and event-related contexts.

• Patients with this type of cancer have a high rate of recurrence
• Recurrence relations are a fundamental concept in mathematics and computer science

Used to describe a process or set of instructions being repeated, often in the context of programming or algorithm development.

• The algorithm improves with each iteration
• We need to test each iteration of the product before launch

Describes the act of doing or saying something over and over again, often to emphasize practice or consistency. It can be used in everyday conversation or educational contexts.

• Repetition is key to mastering a new skill
• The song’s repetition makes it catchy

Describes something that happens repeatedly over time, often with an implication of an unwanted or problematic event happening again.

• The recurrence of headaches led him to visit a doctor
• There is a recurrence of old issues in the system

Primarily used in mathematics and computer science to describe a function that calls itself, often used for solving complex problems by breaking them down into simpler ones.

• Recursion is a powerful technique in programming
• A classic example of recursion is the calculation of factorial numbers

Used when referring to the process of repeating a set of operations or tasks in computing, programming, and project development where each cycle is aimed at improving or refining the previous one.

• The software went through several iterations before the final release.
• In each iteration, the team identified and fixed different bugs.

Used when referring to the act of repeating something multiple times across various fields like education, music, sport, or daily routines, where the focus is on the repeated action itself.

• In language learning, repetition is key to memorizing new vocabulary.
• The athlete's training involved constant repetition of specific moves to perfect his technique.

Used when describing the reappearance of events, conditions, or phenomena, often in contexts like health, events, or problems where the repetition is somewhat unwelcome.

• The doctor monitored the recurrence of symptoms to adjust the treatment plan.
• There was a recurrence of the old issues after the system update.

Used when emphasizing the act of repeating something for clarity or emphasis, often in discussions, meetings, or speeches.

• The manager's reiteration of the main objectives helped the team stay focused.
• His constant reiteration of the safety guidelines ensured everyone was aware of the protocols.