Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

Reduplication is the act of doubling or repeating something. In grammar, it often involves repeating a word or part of a word, usually at the beginning of a word, which can change its meaning or indicate plurality. For example, in Bahasa Indonesia, repeating "anak" (child) to "anak anak" signifies "children".12

Reduplication can also refer to creating an exact copy or replica of something. This process is also known as reproduction, duplication, or imitation. The term itself comes from Latin, meaning "to double". English uses reduplication in words like "easy-peasy" or "helter-skelter," where sounds are repeated to create new, often playful, terms.3456

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.