Repetitive: meaning, definitions and examples

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repetitive

 

[ rɪˈpɛtɪtɪv ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

behavior

Characterized by repetition or repetition of the same action or activity multiple times.

Synonyms

monotonous, repetitious, routine

Examples of usage

  • Her speech was so repetitive that it became difficult to listen to.
  • The repetitive nature of the job started to bore him after a while.
Context #2 | Adjective

music

Consisting of repeated musical phrases or rhythms.

Synonyms

cyclical, looped, recurring

Examples of usage

  • The song had a catchy, repetitive melody.
  • The piece was criticized for being too repetitive.

Translations

Translations of the word "repetitive" in other languages:

🇵🇹 repetitivo

🇮🇳 दोहरावदार

🇩🇪 wiederholend

🇮🇩 berulang

🇺🇦 повторюваний

🇵🇱 powtarzalny

🇯🇵 繰り返しの

🇫🇷 répétitif

🇪🇸 repetitivo

🇹🇷 tekrarlayan

🇰🇷 반복적인

🇸🇦 متكرر

🇨🇿 opakující se

🇸🇰 opakujúci sa

🇨🇳 重复的

🇸🇮 ponavljajoč

🇮🇸 endurtekið

🇰🇿 қайталанатын

🇬🇪 გამეორებადი

🇦🇿 təkrarlanan

🇲🇽 repetitivo

Etymology

The word 'repetitive' originated from the Latin word 'repetitivus', which means 'repeating'. The concept of repetition has been prevalent in various aspects of human life, from behavior to music. The term gained popularity in the English language to describe actions or activities that are repeated multiple times, often leading to monotony or predictability. In music, the term is used to denote compositions with recurring patterns or phrases. The use of 'repetitive' continues to be common in everyday language, reflecting the human tendency to repeat actions or patterns.

See also: repeatability, repeatable, repeated, repeatedly, repeater, repeating, repetition, repetitious.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,682, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.