First Known Use: 1790
Dictionary
recursion
noun re·cur·sion \ri-ˈkər-zhən\
Definition of RECURSION
1
: return 1
2
: the determination of a succession of elements (as numbers or functions) by operation on one or more preceding elements according to a rule or formula involving a finite number of steps
3
: a computer programming technique involving the use of a procedure, subroutine, function, or algorithm that calls itself one or more times until a specified condition is met at which time the rest of each repetition is processed from the last one called to the first — compare iteration
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Origin of RECURSION
Late Latin recursion-, recursio, from recurrere
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
Rhymes with RECURSION
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