repetitioner

Repetitioner is a relatively uncommon English noun that denotes a person or thing that repeats. In contemporary usage, the more common terms for a person who repeats words or phrases are parrot or imitator, while for a device that retransmits a signal the standard term is repeater. The word repetitioner derives from repetition plus the agent suffix -er and appears in older dictionaries to denote one who repeats or recites.

As a person, a repetitioner may be someone who re-utters phrases, recites lines in a play, or repeats statements in a discussion. The term emphasizes the act of repetition rather than intent, and its connotations can be neutral or pejorative depending on context. For example, a repetitioner who repeats gossip or slogans is echoing others rather than producing original content. In educational or practice contexts, a repetitioner might be someone who repeats an exercise or chant as part of training or ritual.

In technology and engineering, the corresponding concept is usually called a repeater: a device that receives a signal and transmits an amplified version. The term repetitioner is not standard in technical literature, though it may occasionally appear in historical texts or as a stylistic variant.

See also: repeater, parrot, imitator, echo, repetition, recitation.