iterate

Verb

iterate (third-person singular simple present iterates, present participle iterating, simple past and past participle iterated)

1. To perform or repeat an action on each item in a set.
   • The max() function iterates through the data to find the highest value.

   Synonyms:

   reiterate, repeat, reprise

2. To perform or repeat an action on the results of each such prior action.
   • In mathematics, an iterated function is a function which is composed with itself, possibly ad infinitum, in a process called iteration.
3. (archaic, transitive) To utter or do a second time or many times; to repeat.
   • to iterate advice
   • Nor Eve to iterate / Her former trespass feared.1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC...
4. (ambitransitive) To repeat an activity, making incremental changes each time.
   • For NASA and most private aerospace companies, a single crash is a setback that can take years to recover from. SpaceX works more like a Silicon Valley startup, where the goal is to fail quickly and iterate.December 13 2021, Molly Ball, Jeffrey Kluger, Alejandro de la Garza, “Elon Musk: Person of the Year 2021”, in Time Magazine, archived from the original on 13 Dec 2021

Noun

IPA/ˈɪtərət/

iterate (plural iterates)

1. An n-fold self-composition of a function.
   • An important example of such a semigroup in infinite dimensional Hilbert space is the weak operator closed monothetic semigroup generated by a linear operator with equibounded iterates.2011, M. A. Kaashoek, T. T. West, Locally Compact Semi-Algebras, page 8
2. The image of a certain value under such a function.
   • f²(x₀) is the second iterate of x₀ under f.

Adjective

iterate (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Said or done again; repeated.
   • When our faith is otherwise well enough known, there needs no iterate confession, saith Baldwin, which if, as he saith, it be vain boasting rather than a Christian vertue in us to offer it, it can be no lesse than needlesse, imperious usurpation in them to call as to it.1657, William Morice, Coena quasi koinē
2. (obsolete) Iterated.
   • Therfore I beseche you brethren doe not neglect this holsome & profitable sacrament, but diligently consyder what ayde and what grace is geuen vnto you in it, & if by your necgligence & fal ye haue lost that grace, for a great part: yet it may be recouered agayne, not by a newe Confirmation, which...1558, Thomas Watson, Sermon V, of the Sacrament of Confirmation, in Holsome and catholyke doctryne concerninge the seuen Sacramentes of Chrystes Church expedient to be knowen of all men, set forth in...