Definition of iteration

The word "iteration" has its roots in Latin and has a fascinating history. The Latin phrase "iterare" means "to repeat" or "to go through again." From this phrase, the term "iteration" was borrowed into Middle English in the 15th century. Initially, it referred to the act of repeating a process, such as iterating a prayer or iterating a process in mathematics. In the 17th century, the term took on a new meaning in the context of mathematics and geometry, referring to the repetition of a geometric figure or a mathematical process. This sense of the word has remained the primary one in the field of computer science, where iteration is used to describe the repetition of a set of instructions until a specific condition is met. Throughout its development, the word "iteration" has retained its core sense of repetition or cyclical process, adapting to new contexts and meanings over time.