Make Your Point: ITERATIVE

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pronounce ITERATIVE:

ID uh ray tiv

connect this word to others:

As we check out the word iterative, see if you can recall a closely related verb:

To __iterate something is to say it again, usually for emphasis or clarity.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

Around the 1500s, we took the Latin iterare ("to do something again, to repeat something") into English as "iterate."

We still use "iterate" today to mean "to repeat, to do again," as in "They iterated the experiment," and things that are repeated or done again are "iterations."

The adjective is "iterative." It describes things and process that involve lots of do-overs, often in order to make something better and better.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "For American kids, studying history is an iterative process. Year after year they go back over the same events, understanding them more deeply each time."

Other forms:

The verb forms are "iterate," "iterated," and "iterating."

The noun is "iteration," and it's the countable kind: "They created six or seven iterations of that product before putting it on the market." "I've had that dream dozens of times, but this most recent iteration got extra weird."

how to use it:

If you do the exact same thing over and over, like washing loads of laundry, you call that process repetitive. But if you do the same thing over and over in order to make it better and better each time, like organizing and reorganizing your pantry until it suits your family's needs perfectly, you call that process iterative.

It's most often processes that we call iterative. But we can also talk about iterative tasks and jobs, iterative steps and actions, and iterative input and feedback.

examples:

"This map in its current form has flaws. Cartography is an iterative process and no single map will ever be absolutely correct."
— Endonym Map, 2013

"Cracking the Green Bean Casserole Code: Eric Kim cooked 13 iterations of the midcentury Thanksgiving staple to create the ultimate recipe for today."
— Eric Kim, New York Times, 13 November 2023

has this page helped you understand "iterative"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "iterative" without saying "circular" or "repeating."

try it out:

An iterative process, like conducting research, tweaking a recipe, or revising a novel will delight you endlessly if you enjoy it. Or annoy you endlessly if you don't.

Talk about an iterative process that you find either delightful or annoying. Did you ever feel like you were truly done with it? Why or why not?

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

This month, our game is "Sarah In Dip a Day!"

I'll give you some song lyrics that contain a sophisticated word or phrase—but I'll swap it out for what you might hear if you didn't know that word or phrase.

Your job is to find the spot where the lyrics quit making sense, then reinterpret those words as the artist actually wrote them.

Here's an example:

"I'm on a one-way street,
My fall from grace complete,
But I feel that there's a hazard hanging over me.
But I take away the feeling that I can't see,
And now you say to me
Sarah in dip a day."
—Amaranthe

Here, the meaning breaks down at "Sarah in dip a day," which should read "Serendipity."

Try this one today:

"If speed's a pro,
A nerd she must be a con.
'Cause the cold wind blows at precise rates
When I've got my ice skates on."
—Owl City

If you need some clues, highlight the hidden white text below.
1. The part that needs to be changed is..."A nerd she"
2. The term that's being sung means..."an object's resistance to motion"
To see the answer, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. The opposite of an ITERATIVE process could be a process that is

A. clear, direct, or straightforward.
B. joint, collective, or collaborative.
C. one-step, one-shot, or one-and-done.

2. On shows like Friends, with lots of characters, _____.

A. scripts are iterative, relying on character tropes and physical comedy
B. relationships are iterative, constantly defining and redefining themselves
C. themes are iterative, spanning everything from love and friendship to loss and depression

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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