iterum

Iterum is a Latin adverb meaning "again" or "a second time." It denotes repetition of an action, event, or statement and is found in Classical and Medieval Latin. In prose and poetry, iterum can modify a verb directly or begin a clause for emphasis. Common collocations include iterum atque iterum ("again and again").

Etymology and usage context vary little across periods, but grammars generally treat iterum as an adverb formed from the root iter ("a journey, a way") with the standard Latin adverbial ending -um, yielding a sense of recurrence rather than a simple numeric count. The relation to iter, and to related terms such as iteratio ("repetition"), helps explain its function: signaling that an action or remark occurs again after an initial instance. The word is well attested across Latin literature and appears in standard lexica such as Lewis and Short.

In translation practice, iterum usually corresponds to English "again," capturing repetition across time or sequence. It can appear before the verb, after it, or at the start of a clause for emphasis. Distinctions exist with bis ("twice") and denuo ("anew"), where iterum emphasizes recurrence or reprise rather than a strict count. Iterum remains a common element in Latin pedagogy and textual analysis, illustrating how Latin expresses repetition beyond simple numerals.