WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
re•cur•sive
(ri kûr′siv),USA pronunciation adj.
re•cur′sive•ly, adv.
re•cur′sive•ness, n.
- Mathematics, Linguisticspertaining to or using a rule or procedure that can be applied repeatedly.
- Computing, Mathematics[Math., Computers.]pertaining to or using the mathematical process of recursion:a recursive function; a recursive procedure.
- recurs(ion) + -ive 1935–40
re•cur′sive•ness, n.