iterative

[it-uh-rey-tiv, -er-uh-tiv]

adjective

1. repeating; making repetition; repetitious.

2. relating to or noting a development strategy that involves a cyclical process of refining or tweaking the latest version or iteration of a product, process, or idea to make a subsequent version: The new restaurant finalized their menu after a year of diner feedback and iterative improvements.

   Website design is highly iterative.

   The new restaurant finalized their menu after a year of diner feedback and iterative improvements.

3. Grammar.,  frequentative.

ˈiterative

/ ˈɪtərətɪv /

adjective

1. repetitious or frequent

2. maths logic another word for recursive See recursive

3. grammar another word for frequentative

Other Word Forms

• iteratively adverb
• iterativeness noun
• uniterative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of iterative¹

First recorded in 1450–1500; from Late Latin iterātīvum (verbum) “frequentative (verb).” See iterate, -ive

Example Sentences

The pitch from them both amounted to arguing that they are assembling what they see as a careful set of thoughtful, workable, iterative steps forward on asylum policy.

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Our response must be adaptive, experimental and iterative: a continuous process of design evolution, shaped by trial and error, much like nature itself.

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It means championing the messy, iterative process of learning, individually and collectively.

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Secondly: once they decided to move, they have moved pretty quickly, albeit announcing the U-turn in iterative steps, one week after another.

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Other Japanese studios are known for taking this iterative approach and building on what has come before.

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