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recursive

recursive

7 8.8
A way of doing something where it uses itself to repeat and solve smaller parts
  • adjective
  • /rɪˈkɜːrsɪv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : recursivo
  • The recursive function calls itself until it reaches the base case.
  • recursive algorithm
  • recursive call
  • Recursive partitioning

Remember we said that the variable expansion was recursive.

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Examples

  • And the special thing about the recursive formula is it's based off of the previous term.

  • In this case, it is very beneficial to use the purely recursive version of the algorithm.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Notice that this will require recursive calls, right?

  • We show how to overcome this by using a recursive data format.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Because of the overhead of the recursive calls, the implementation has a significant performance loss for small problems.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Information seeking and evaluation are recursive processes that lie at the heart of lifelong learning.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Seven stages, which are flexible and recursive, provided the structural frame for operationalizing these three basic components.

    Academic text (1993)
  • For example, prototyping is a development methodology that is both iterative and recursive in nature.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The conceptual model for the present study was assumed to be recursive, meaning the causal flow was unidirectional.

    Academic text (1996)
  • L-systems are appropriate to represent fractal objects obtained by means of recursive transformations.

    Academic text (1997)

Compounds

recursive routine
  • Specialized
7.9

A piece of code that calls itself to solve a problem

recursive definition
  • Specialized
8.2

A method that uses earlier numbers in a list to find later numbers

Surface Forms

recursive positive

Morphology

recursive = recur (semi-transparent) = recur + ive

The adjective is formed by adding an adjectival suffix to 'recur', but the technical sense of self-reference inherent in 'recursion' is specialized and may not be obvious from the verb 'recur' ('to happen again').

Etymology

Recursive comes from Latin parts re- meaning 'again' and currere meaning 'to run', so it originally meant 'run back'. That's why a recursive definition or function 'goes back to' itself and repeats a smaller step over and over.