recursive

adjective

re·​cur·​sive ri-ˈkər-siv 

1

: of, relating to, or involving recursion

a recursive function in a computer program

2

: of, relating to, or constituting a procedure that can repeat itself indefinitely

a recursive rule in a grammar

recursively adverb

recursiveness noun

Examples of recursive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Aschenbrenner’s startling thesis about exponentially accelerating AI progress rests on one core premise: that AI will soon become powerful enough to carry out AI research itself, leading to recursive self-improvement and runaway superintelligence. —Rob Toews, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

In a memorably recursive moment, the character of Casey Becker (played by Drew Barrymore) is quizzed on horror movie trivia by the killer via landline. —Sydney Bishop, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024

The program corresponds to a recursive function similar to the one from the Collatz conjecture, one of the biggest unsolved problems in number theory. —Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 25 July 2024

This would attract more users, which would in turn further improve its search engine in a recursive cycle of learning and expansion. —Paul Starr, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2019

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "recurring repeatedly," from Latin recursus, past participle of recurrere "to run back, run in the opposite direction, return" + -ive; in given senses as translation of German rekurrent or rekursiv — more at recur

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1