stepwise

S1T1E1P3W4I1S1E1

adjective

One (small) step or stage at a time; gradual; piecemeal

Similar
step-by-stepgraduatedin orderstep by stepincrementallybit-by-bitin small stagespiecemeal
OriginProto-Germanic *wīsaz ← Proto-Indo-European *weyd-s-ós ← English step →
Less commonScrabble 13
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Meanings

adjectivestepwise (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOne (small) step or stage at a time; gradual; piecemeal

    The act of translation requires the stepwise decoding of the mRNA one codon at a time.

    2003, Steven Scott Phelps, tRNA interactions in the ribosomal A-site […] , page 48

    Synonyms: step-by-step, graduated

adverbstepwise (comparative more stepwise, superlative most stepwise)

comparative more stepwise · superlative most stepwise

  1. One step or stage at a time; step by step

    Synonyms: in order, step by step, incrementally

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOne (small) step or stage at a time; gradual; piecemeal

Similar
step-by-stepgraduated

adverbOne step or stage at a time; step by step

Similar
in orderstep by stepincrementally

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveone thing at a time

Similar
bit-by-bitin small stagespiecemealstep-by-stepgradual

adverbproceeding in steps

Similar
step by step
Also see
bit by bitgradatimgradualincrementallypiecemealsequentiallystep by stepstep-by-step

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Germanic*stapiz
  2. Proto-Germanic*stappōnąbf.
  3. Proto-Germanic*stapjaną
  4. Proto-West Germanic*stappjan
  5. Old Englishstæppan
  6. Middle Englishsteppen
  7. Englishstep
  8. Proto-Indo-European*weyd-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*wéydos
  10. Proto-Indo-European*weyd-s-ós
  11. Proto-Germanic*wīsaz
  12. Englishstepwise

From step + -wise.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish askel kerrallaan, järjestyksessä
  • askel kerrallaanone step or stage at a time
  • järjestyksessäone step or stage at a time
  • askelittainone step or stage at a time
German schrittweise
  • schrittweiseone step or stage at a time
Hungarian lépésenként, lépésről lépésre
  • lépésenkéntone step or stage at a time
  • lépésről lépésreone step or stage at a time
Cite this entry
APA

stepwise. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stepwise

MLA

“stepwise.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stepwise. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stepwise,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stepwise.

Source: stepwise on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.