Recurrent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈkʌɹənt/

Definitions

1. Occurring repeatedly or returning at intervals over time
2. Appearing multiple times at separate occasions over a period
3. Taking place repeatedly or returning after intervals of time

Etymology: "Recurrent" comes from Latin "recurrens," the present participle of "recurrere," meaning "to run back." The Latin verb combines "re-," "back" or "again," with "currere," "to run," the same root that gives English "current," "courier," and "concourse." So at its core, a recurrent thing is one that runs back toward its starting point and comes round again. English took the word as a borrowing from Latin, and it has been used in English for centuries. The root image of running back explains the modern sense: a recurrent fever returns after a pause, a recurrent theme reappears through a piece of music or writing, and a recurrent problem keeps coming back. Each use keeps the original picture of a path traced again. The English adjective is built from "recur," which itself came from the same Latin verb, plus the suffix "-ent," which forms adjectives from verbs. The English form therefore mirrors its Latin ancestor closely, with the suffix doing the same job it did in Latin.

Synonyms: repetitive, cyclical, habitual, periodic, returning

Antonyms: rare, uncommon, sporadic, infrequent, occasional