recursion
UK[rɪˈkɜːʃn]US[rɪˈkɜːrʒn]
n
The process of defining a function or solving a problem by repeated application of the same rule or procedure to its own results.
n
The practice of describing or expressing something in terms of itself.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
curs
ion
re
again
curs
run
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word "recursion" originates from the Latin verb 'recurrere', meaning "to run back". This verb itself is a compound of the prefix 're-' (back, again) and the root 'currere' (to run). The concept entered English via the Late Latin noun 'recursio', which denoted a return or a retreat. In its modern technical and abstract sense, the logic of "running back" or "returning" evolved to describe a process where a function or rule repeatedly applies itself to its own output, creating a self-referential loop.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + curs (run) + ion (noun suffix)
re: Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back".
curs: Latin root from 'currere', meaning "to run".
ion: Latin suffix forming nouns of action or state.
Examples
The computer program uses recursion to calculate the factorial of a number.
The definition of life is sometimes given as a form of biological recursion.
To understand the concept fully, you must break the cycle of recursion in your explanation.