recur

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /rɪˈkɜr/ UK /rɪˈkɜː/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to occur again, repeatedly, or periodically

The same nightmare seemed to recur night after night.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to occur again, repeatedly,... reappear return repeat reoccur persist

Opposites

cease stop

Word family

Derived forms recurrence recurrentrecurringrecurred

Related forms recursive occur current concur

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

recurring dream
a dream that one has repeatedly over time

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Recur entered English in the Middle English period. Its cur element ultimately comes from Latin currere, “to run.”

Etymology

From Latin recurrere ('to run back, return'), from re- ('back, again') + currere ('to run').

re- Latin recurrere Latin currere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# recur

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /rɪˈkɜr/
**IPA (UK):** /rɪˈkɜː/

## Meanings
1. to occur again, repeatedly, or periodically

## Examples
- The same nightmare seemed to recur night after night.

## Synonyms
- reappear
- return
- repeat
- reoccur
- persist

## Antonyms
- cease
- stop

## Derived Forms
- recurrence
- recurrent
- recurring
- recurred

## Related Forms
- recursive
- occur
- current
- concur

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: re-
- Root: recurrere
- Root: currere

## Etymology
From Latin recurrere ('to run back, return'), from re- ('back, again') + currere ('to run').

## AI Etymology
Recur comes from Latin recurrere ('to run back, return'), from re- ('back, again') + currere ('to run'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As a verb, it means "to occur again, repeatedly, or periodically", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin re-, Latin recurrere, and Latin currere. Derivative forms include recurrence, recurrent, recurring, recurred; related words include recursive, occur, current, concur.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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