Standard Lemma guide

repetitive

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹɪˈpɛtɪtɪv/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 P EH1 T IH0 T IH0 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Happening many times in a similar way; containing repetition; repeating.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The lecture was too repetitive and lost its impact.
  • He kept repeating the same repetitive tasks without making progress.
  • The movie was criticized for its repetitive scenes and predictable plot.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

characterized by repetition

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • repetitive movement

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: repetitious

Antonyms: nonrepetitive

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

repetitive and persistent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the bluejay's insistent cry

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: insistent

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin repetitus, with the suffix -ive.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: повтарящ се (povtarjašt se) — happening many times in a similar way
  • Bulgarian: сериен (serien) — happening many times in a similar way
  • Catalan: repetitiu — happening many times in a similar way
  • Finnish: toistava — happening many times in a similar way
  • Finnish: toistuva — happening many times in a similar way
  • Finnish: itseään toistava — happening many times in a similar way
  • French: répétitif — happening many times in a similar way
  • Galician: repetitivo — happening many times in a similar way
  • German: repetitiv — happening many times in a similar way
  • Greek: επαναληπτικός (epanaliptikós) — happening many times in a similar way
  • Hungarian: ismétlődő — happening many times in a similar way
  • Hungarian: repetitív — happening many times in a similar way
  • Italian: ripetitivo — happening many times in a similar way
  • Persian: تکراری (tekrâri) — happening many times in a similar way
  • Portuguese: repetitivo — happening many times in a similar way
  • Spanish: repetitivo — happening many times in a similar way
  • Thai: ซ้ําซาก (sám-sâak) — happening many times in a similar way
Real reading context

repetitive in complete knowledge articles