recursion

[ ri-kur-zhuhn ]

noun

, Mathematics, Computers.

1. the process of defining a function or calculating a number by the repeated application of an algorithm.

recursion

/ rɪˈkɜːʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of returning or running back
2. logic maths the application of a function to its own values to generate an infinite sequence of values. The recursion formula or clause of a definition specifies the progression from one term to the next, as given the base clause f (0) = 0, f ( n + 1) = f ( n ) + 3 specifies the successive terms of the sequence f ( n ) = 3 n

Derived Forms

• reˈcursive, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of recursion¹

1925–30; < Late Latin recursiōn- (stem of recursiō ) a running back, equivalent to recurs ( us ) ( recourse ) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of recursion¹

C17: from Latin recursio , from recurrere recur

Example Sentences

That’s why solvers like Mike Strong turned to their computers, using recursion to exhaustively search across all possible strategies.

From FiveThirtyEight

The difference, Field says, is that large libraries of small molecules and their properties already existed for Recursion to use.

From Fortune

Meanwhile, Emma Knight went in a completely different direction — recursion — still arriving at the same solution.

From FiveThirtyEight

Those results imply that an ability to grasp recursion must emerge early in life and doesn’t require formal education.

From Science News

Participants might have correctly sequenced novel brackets without thinking about recursion, Männel and Zaccarella suggest.

From Science News