# recursive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɹɪˈkɜː(ɹ)sɪv/ · frequency rank #32,997

## Definitions
1. drawing upon itself, referring back.
2. of an expression, each term of which is determined by applying a formula to preceding terms
3. of a program or function that calls itself
4. which can be computed by a theoretical model of a computer, in a finite amount of time
5. whose characteristic function is recursive (4)

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from New Latin recursīvus. Equivalent to recurse + -ive.

## Easily confused with
- **repulsive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/recursive-vs-repulsive)
- **recessive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/recessive-vs-recursive)
- **reclusive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reclusive-vs-recursive)
- **recursion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/recursion-vs-recursive)

## Common misspellings (13)
`ercursive`, `rceursive`, `reccursive`, `recrusive`, `recurisve`, `recurrsive`, `recursiev`, `recursivve`, `recurssive`, `recursvie`, `recusrive`, `reucrsive`, `rrecursive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/recursive