Define the term 'iteration' as it relates to programming.

In programming, 'iteration' is fundamentally about repetition. It involves the repeated execution of a specific set of instructions or statements within a program. This concept is crucial in scenarios where the same operation needs to be performed multiple times, such as processing items in a list, conducting calculations, or processing user input until a particular condition is met.

The process of iteration allows programmers to write efficient and concise code, reducing redundancy by eliminating the need to manually repeat the same statements. For instance, in a loop structure, the instructions inside the loop can be executed multiple times without needing to rewrite them for each individual execution.

This idea is distinct from concepts like variable assignment, single loop execution, or sorting algorithms, which do not inherently involve the aspect of repetition that defines iteration. Instead, they serve different purposes within programming that do not capture the core definition of iteration.