What does loop mean?
A loop is a closed curve or ring, as in a loop of rope, a loop in a road, or the circular path made by a runner. It can also refer to any recurring series of actions or, in computing, a sequence of instructions repeated until a specified condition is met. The word is highly flexible: a loop may be physical, like a belt or lasso, or conceptual, like a feedback cycle in a system. As a verb, to loop means to form or move in a loop, encircle something, or repeat a sequence. Related expressions include being “in the loop,” meaning being included in relevant information, and being “out of the loop,” meaning being excluded from it. Because the concept appears in ordinary movement, transport, biology, engineering, and programming, loop is useful for describing both circular shapes and repeated processes.
A closed ring or curved line formed by crossing or joining its ends; a circuit or recurring sequence.
"The trail followed a loop through the forest and returned to the car park."
In computing, a loop is a sequence of instructions that repeats while a condition remains true.
To form a loop, encircle something, move in a circular path, or repeat a sequence cyclically.
"The cable looped twice around the post before the knot was tightened."
In computing and systems contexts, loop can mean to process or repeat a sequence of items until completion.
The plural is commonly used for individual rings, curves, recurring sequences, and computer-program constructs.
"The program contains several nested loops that process the data one layer at a time."
From a ring of rope to a repeating computer instruction, a loop is one of the simplest shapes in the world—and one of the most versatile ideas in language and technology.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of loop
The word is first recorded in Middle English, where it referred to a loop of rope or a looping stitch. Its precise ultimate origin is uncertain, and it developed through several specialized meanings before becoming a general word for a ring-shaped curve. Modern uses in computing and systems theory are metaphorical extensions of the original idea of a closed or repeated circuit.
Related word forms
How loop is actually used
The noun is common in both formal and informal English. In computing, loop usually refers to a repeated block of instructions; in ordinary conversation, it can also mean an informal social group. The verb is especially natural for movement in a circular or curving path.