English Reference
noun

repetition

n.
US /ˌɹɛpəˈtɪʃən/ UK /ɹˌɛpətˈɪʃən/ rep·e·ti·tion UK spelling repetition's, repetition's

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    doing or saying something more than once.

    the act or an instance of repeating something; the recurrence of an action, sound, or event.

    Simple

    The teacher used repetition to help the students remember the new vocabulary words.

    In context

    The constant repetition of the same melody throughout the symphony creates a sense of unity and familiarity for the listener.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'of' followed by the action being repeated.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate InformalTechnical Sport

    one complete movement of a specific exercise, like lifting a weight once.

    a single execution of a specific exercise motion, typically performed in sets.

    Simple

    He managed to do ten repetitions of the bench press before he got tired.

    In context

    To build muscular endurance, the trainer recommended performing fifteen repetitions with a lighter weight rather than five with a heavy one.

    Usage

    Commonly shortened to 'rep' in casual gym environments; usually countable.

    rep

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin repetitionem (accusative singular of repetitio; cf. French répétition). Doublet of repetitio. By surface analysis, repeat + -ition.

Etymology 2

From re- + petition.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin repetitionem
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated