reiterate

EnglishEdit

WOTD – 1 January 2008

EtymologyEdit

Early 15th century, from Late Latin reiteratus, past participle of reiterare (“to repeat”) from re- (“again”) + iterare (“repeat”) from iterum (“repeat”).^[1]

PronunciationEdit

(Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /ɹiˈɪt.əɹ.eɪt/
Audio (US) (file)
Audio (AU) (file)

VerbEdit

reiterate (third-person singular simple present reiterates, present participle reiterating, simple past and past participle reiterated)

(transitive) To say or do (something) for a second time, such as for emphasis.
Synonyms: repeat; see also Thesaurus:reiterate

Let me reiterate my opinion.
- 2012 April 23, Angelique Chrisafis, “François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election”, in the Guardian‎^[1]:
  He said France clearly wanted to "close one page and open another". He reiterated his opposition to austerity alone as the only way out of Europe's crisis: "My final duty, and I know I'm being watched from beyond our borders, is to put Europe back on the path of growth and employment."
  
  c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The VVinters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene ii]:
  You never spoke what did become you less / Than this; which to reiterate were sin.
(transitive) To say or do (something) repeatedly.
Synonym: repeat
- 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:
  That with reiterated crimes he might / Heap on himself damnation.

Usage notesEdit

Although iterate and reiterate are similar, iterate indicates that the action is performed for each of a set of items, while reiterate indicates a more general repetition.