recursive

recursive — adjective

1. describes a process where the same rule or action is applied repeatedly, and eac

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a process where the same rule or action is applied repeatedly, and each step builds on or changes something from the previous one, usually to reach a final result

例句

The trainer used a recursive practice routine, making Caio repeat each swimming stroke until his form was perfect.

recursive practice routine — repeat an action until a standard is met

A nursery rhyme with a recursive pattern added one new line to the verse each time the class sang.

同義詞
  • iterative

    more technical; commonly used in engineering and software contexts where each cycle refines a previous version

  • cyclical

    focuses on the idea of returning to a starting point rather than building toward a result

  • repetitive

    simpler and more general; does not imply that each repetition builds on the last

反義詞
  • one-off

    describes something done only once with no repetition

  • linear

    describes a process that moves forward in a straight sequence without looping back

文法句型

recursive + noun

be recursive

用法筆記

Frequently used to describe narratives, training methods, or production processes that involve multiple passes, with each pass refining or advancing toward a goal.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher gave a recursive explanation that repeated the same fact five times.
✅The teacher gave a repetitive explanation that repeated the same fact five times.
💡'recursive' implies a structured process where each repetition adds something; it is not a synonym for 'repetitive'.

2. in computing and mathematics, describes a function, rule, or procedure that cont

2.形容詞C1
釋義

in computing and mathematics, describes a function, rule, or procedure that contains a reference to itself, so that solving a problem means repeatedly applying the same method to smaller versions of that same problem

例句

Christopher wrote a recursive function that called itself to calculate the sum of all numbers from one to ten.

recursive function — calls itself

The mathematics textbook showed how a recursive formula defines each term based on the term before it.

同義詞
  • self-referential

    broader; can describe any system that refers to itself, not limited to formal computing

  • self-calling

    less common but more literal; used mainly to explain recursion to beginners

反義詞
  • iterative

    describes a method that uses loops rather than self-calling functions to achieve repetition

  • non-recursive

    neutral label for any procedure that does not use recursion

文法句型

recursive + noun

be recursive

用法筆記

In computing, a recursive procedure must include a base case — a condition that stops the self-call — otherwise it will loop forever and crash the program. This sense is most common in technical writing and computer science education.

常見錯誤

❌She wrote a recursive loop that repeated the block of code ten times.
✅She wrote an iterative loop that repeated the block of code ten times.
💡In programming, 'recursive' describes a function calling itself, while 'iterative' describes loops (for, while) that repeat steps without self-reference.