English
recursive
Recursive comes from New Latin recursīvus, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-‘to run’root as named · steps between not traced
- New Latinc. 1500–1900recursīvus
- Englishtodayrecursive
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-‘to run’root as named · steps between not traced
- New Latinc. 1500–1900recursīvus
- Englishtodayrecursive
Formed from recurse + -ive
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’
course, charge, carry, career, current, rush, carrier, cargo, occur, hurry, currency, corridor, carriage, curriculum, courier, chariot, carousel, corral, incur, caricature, concur, hurrah, precursor, corsair, cursor, courant, hussar, succour, carrack, 45 more
Today it means
adj Drawing upon, invoking, or referring back to itself.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- / recursive