recursive
/rɪˈkəːsɪv
/adjective
1Characterized by recurrence or repetition, in particular:The community's crisis of violence is reflected in a recursive narrative pattern, shaped out of repetitions and returns of the repressed memories of white violence in slavery....
- Every mystery is contained inside another one like a Russian doll but one where each shell is the same size as the last, a recursive puzzle.
- What I am saying is that it is inherently recursive (it operates on the products of its own operation).
1.1 Mathematics & Linguistics Relating to or involving the repeated application of a rule, definition, or procedure to successive results: this restriction ensures that the grammar is recursive...
- He studied consistency of arithmetic, proving that formal arithmetic with recursive definitions is consistent.
- She published papers on mathematical logic, recursive function theory, and theoretical computer science.
- Kleene's research was on the theory of algorithms and recursive functions.
1.2 Computing Relating to or involving a program or routine of which a part requires the application of the whole, so that its explicit interpretation requires in general many successive executions: a recursive subroutine...
- With the latest security holes, the programs are vulnerable only when acting as recursive name servers.
- An expression could invoke recursive functions or entire subprograms, for example.
- It also prevents device driver writers from having to handle recursive interrupts, which complicate programming.
Derivatives
recursively
- Now he's released a new essay, which is, recursively enough, about the art of the essay itself.
- Self-regulated learners engage recursively in a cycle of cognitive activities as they work through a given task.
- Okay, you will now program it iteratively, not recursively.
Origin
Late 18th century (in the general sense): from late Latin recurs- 'returned' (from the verb recurrere 'run back') + -ive. Specific uses have arisen in the 20th century.