Meanings
adjectiverecursive (comparative more recursive, superlative most recursive)
comparative more recursive · superlative most recursive
- not comparablecomputingHaving to do with a function which can be computed by a theoretical model of a computer in a finite amount of time.
- not comparablecomputingHaving to do with a set whose characteristic function is recursive (sense 4).
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
Opposite
non-recursive
adjectiveof or relating to a recursion
Similar
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- New Latinrecursīvus
- Englishrecursive
Learned borrowing from New Latin recursīvus. Equivalent to recurse + -ive.
More words from New Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic عَوْدِيّ, عَوْدِيّ
- عَوْدِيّ (ʕawdiyy)mathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- عَوْدِيّ (ʕawdiyy)computing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
- عَوْدِيّ (ʕawdiyy)computing theory: of a function which can be computed in a finite amount of time
- عَوْدِيّ (ʕawdiyy)computing theory: of a set whose characteristic function is recursive
Chinese Cantonese 遞迴 /递回
- 遞迴 /递回 (dai⁶ wui⁴)computing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
Chinese Mandarin 遞歸 /递归
- 遞歸 /递归 (dìguī)computing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
Czech rekurzivní, rekurzivní
- rekurzivnímathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- rekurzivnícomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
Dutch recursief, recursief
- recursiefreferring back to itself
- recursiefmathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- recursiefcomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
- recursiefcomputing theory: of a function which can be computed in a finite amount of time
- recursiefcomputing theory: of a set whose characteristic function is recursive
Finnish itseään toistava, rekursiivinen
- itseään toistavareferring back to itself
- rekursiivinenmathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- rekursiivinencomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
- rekursiivinencomputing theory: of a function which can be computed in a finite amount of time
- rekursiivinencomputing theory: of a set whose characteristic function is recursive
French récursif, récursif
- récursifreferring back to itself
- récursifmathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- récursifcomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
- récursifcomputing theory: of a set whose characteristic function is recursive
German rekursiv, rekursiv
- rekursivreferring back to itself
- rekursivmathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- rekursivcomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
- rekursivcomputing theory: of a function which can be computed in a finite amount of time
- rekursivcomputing theory: of a set whose characteristic function is recursive
Greek επαναλαμβανόμενος, επανερχόμενος
- επαναλαμβανόμενος (epanalamvanómenos)referring back to itself
- επανερχόμενος (epanerchómenos)referring back to itself
- αναδρομικός (anadromikós)referring back to itself
- αναδρομικός (anadromikós)mathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- αναδρομικός (anadromikós)computing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
- αναδρομικός (anadromikós)computing theory: of a function which can be computed in a finite amount of time
- αναδρομικός (anadromikós)computing theory: of a set whose characteristic function is recursive
Hungarian rekurzív
- rekurzívcomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
Persian بازگشتی
- بازگشتیcomputing theory: of a function which can be computed in a finite amount of time
Polish rekurencyjny, rekurencyjny
- rekurencyjnymathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- rekurencyjnycomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
Portuguese recursivo, recursivo
- recursivoreferring back to itself
- recursivomathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- recursivocomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
- recursivocomputing theory: of a function which can be computed in a finite amount of time
Romanian recursiv
- recursivcomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
Spanish recursivo, iterativo
- recursivoreferring back to itself
- iterativomathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- recurrentemathematics: of a formula or object defined in terms of itself
- recursivocomputing: of an algorithm or block of code that calls itself
Ukrainian рекурси́вний
- рекурси́вний (rekursývnyj)referring back to itself
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with recursive
subversiveimmersivecursivediscursivedispersiveaversiveconversivenonrecursiveabstersiveadversiveanimadversiveantidiscursiveantisubversiveaspersivecompersivecontraversiveco-recursivecounterdiscursivecountersubversivecyberdiscursivedetersiveelectrodispersiveeversiveexcursive
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
recursive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recursive
MLA
“recursive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recursive. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “recursive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recursive.
Source: recursive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.