repetition

[rep-i-tish-uhn]

noun

1. the act of repeating, or doing, saying, or writing something again; repeated action, performance, production, or presentation.

2. repeated utterance; reiteration.

3. something made by or resulting from repeating.

4. a reproduction, copy, or replica.

5. Civil Law.,  an action or demand for the recovery of a payment or delivery made by error or upon failure to fulfill a condition.

repetition

/ ˌrɛpɪˈtɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of repeating; reiteration

2. a thing, word, action, etc, that is repeated

3. a replica or copy

4. civil law Scots law the recovery or repayment of money paid or received by mistake, as when the same bill has been paid twice

Other Word Forms

• nonrepetition noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of repetition¹

1375–1425; late Middle English (< Old French repeticion ) < Latin repetītiōn- (stem of repetītiō ), equivalent to repetīt ( us ) (past participle of repetere to repeat ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Cradling the lifeless body of his murdered daughter, Lear can do nothing but repeat the word “never” five times, the repetition driving home the irrevocable nature of loss.

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“It’s just repetition,” said Allen, sitting at his locker while speaking to a reporter.

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The repetition of these headlines isn’t neutral; it performs cultural work.

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Composers were fooling around with repetition, drones, tape loops and the like.

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“Some fans feel comfort in repetition, which is OK,” he says.

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Related Words

• litany 
• recurrence 
• reiteration 
• repeat 
• rhythm