Meanings
nouneternal recurrence (uncountable)
- uncountableastronomyThe belief or theory that all the events in cosmic history repeat in an endless cycle.
Synonyms: eternal return
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe belief or theory that all the events in cosmic history repeat in an endless cycle.
Similar
Origin
The concept dates from ancient times and was popularized by the philosopher Nietzsche (1844-1900).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 永恆輪回 /永恒轮回, 永恆回歸 /永恒回归
- 永恆輪回 /永恒轮回 (yǒnghéng lúnhuí)Translations
- 永恆回歸 /永恒回归 (yǒnghéng huíguī)Translations
Cite this entry
APA
eternal recurrence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eternal%20recurrence
MLA
“eternal recurrence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eternal%20recurrence. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “eternal recurrence,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eternal%20recurrence.
Source: eternal recurrence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.