recess

re·cess/ˈɹiˌsɛs/noun, verb

recess is a noun meaning “A depressed, hollow, or indented space; also, a hole or opening” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is spelled R-E-C-E-S-S and has 2 syllables (re·cess), and it appears 3.4 times per million words in written English (wordfreq, 2021 data). The plural of recess is recesses.

What does recess mean?

noun

1
A depressed, hollow, or indented space; also, a hole or opening.
Put a generous recess behind the handle for finger space.
2
A small space created by building part of a wall further back from the rest; a niche.
3
slangThe place in a prison where the communal lavatories are located.
4
A hidden, innermost, or inaccessible place or part of a place.
5
archaicA place of retirement, retreat, or seclusion.
6
An obscure, remote, or secret situation.
the difficulties and recesses of science
7
A temporary stoppage of an activity; a break, a pause.
Spring recess offers a good chance to travel.
8
A period of time when the proceedings of a committee, court of law, parliament, or other official body are temporarily suspended.

verb

1
To position (something) a distance behind another thing; to set back.
2
To make a recess (noun senses 1 and 1.1) in (something).
to recess a wall
3
Often preceded by in or into: to inset (something) into a recess or niche.
That gargoyle recesses into the rest of architecture.
4
To conceal, to hide.
5
USTo temporarily suspend (a meeting, the proceedings of an official body, etc.).
6
USinformalTo make a recess appointment in respect of (someone).
7
USOf a meeting, the proceedings of an official body, etc.: to adjourn, to take a break.
Class will recess for 20 minutes.
8
USOf an official body: to suspend proceedings for a period of time.
This court shall recess for its lunch break now.

adjective

1
obsoleterareOf a place or time: distant, remote.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

How do you pronounce recess?

UK /ɹɪˈsɛs/
UK /ˈɹiːsɛs/
US /ˈɹiˌsɛs/

Recess has 2 syllables, split re·cess in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-recess.ogg, En-au-recess.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of recess

recesses plural, present, singular, he/she/it
more recess comparative
most recess superlative
recessing participle, present
recessed participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

How common is recess?

Recess appears 3.4 times per million words in written English, the 14,307th most frequent word form in the list.

recess0.0010.010.11101001,00010,000

rarerper million words of written Englishmore common

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

Recess in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

Language	Words
German	Aushöhlung, Nische, Vertiefung, Winkel (depressed, hollow, or indented space), Ferien, Pause (temporary stoppage of an activity – see also…)
Portuguese	recesso (depressed, hollow, or indented space), recreio (time away from studying during the school day…)
French	vacances (temporary stoppage of an activity – see also…), pause, récré, récréation (time away from studying during the school day…), recès (place of retirement, retreat, or seclusion), vacance (period of time when the proceedings of an…)
Spanish	receso (temporary stoppage of an activity – see also…), recreo, patio, quiete (time away from studying during the school day…), recesar (to temporarily suspend (a meeting, the…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.