recurrent

adjective

re·​cur·​rent ri-ˈkər-ənt 

-ˈkə-rənt

1

: running or turning back in a direction opposite to a former course

—used of various nerves and branches of vessels in the arms and legs

2

: returning or happening time after time

recurrent complaints

recurrently adverb

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Recurrent vs. Recurring

Is there a difference between recurring and recurrent? As is so often the case with nearly identical words, the answer is "yes and no." Both words are most commonly used in the sense "happening time after time." But recurrent, the more commonly-used of the two, tends to appear more often in medical contexts, as in “recurrent fevers” or “recurrent cancer.” It also has a specialized anatomical sense, "running or turning back in a direction opposite to a former course,” as in “a recurrent artery,” that recurring does not share. There are certainly circumstances in which either recurrent or recurring could be used; pain or needs might be described as either recurrent or recurring. But even in such cases, there may be subtle differences which you may wish to pay attention to. Recurrent tends to suggest a coming back of something that has existed before, whereas recurring often implies simply a repeated occurrence.

Synonyms

• continual
• intermittent
• on-and-off
• periodic
• periodical
• recurring

Examples of recurrent in a Sentence

The loss of innocence is a recurrent theme in his stories.

had recurrent problems with the computer for months and finally junked it

Recent Examples on the Web

Pneumonia, oral ulcers, recurrent laryngitis, and, in rare cases, squamous cell carcinoma are also possible recurrent infections that can occur because of LPR. —Maggie O'Neill, Health, 16 Nov. 2023

The authorization from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is for sickle cell patients with recurrent pain crises and for those with the most serious form of beta thalassemia who are 12 years and older. —WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023

This decolonization of bacteria, while it was not directly tested, may help in preventing recurrent antibiotic-resistant infections. —Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2023

And while Russian doll-style, story-within-story construction is a recurrent feature in many of Anderson’s films, Dahl’s original text was written that way from the start. —Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2023

How Seasonal Affective Disorder is Diagnosed How Light Therapy Works SAD is defined as having recurrent episodes of major depression in at least two consecutive years where the symptoms occur at specific times with no non-seasonal episodes. —Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 3 Oct. 2023

Addiction is not one behaviour, but a cycling pattern of recurrent relapse. —Simon Makin, Scientific American, 23 June 2023

Yet, centers are struggling to be that backstop for recurrent users while also staying available for everyone. —Eli Cahan, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2023

Become a Subscriber War, in Israel, is a recurrent reality. —Michael Oren, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin recurrent-, recurrens, present participle of recurrere "to run back, run in the opposite direction, return" — more at recur

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

recurrent

adjective

re·​cur·​rent ri-ˈkər-ənt 

-ˈkə-rənt

: returning from time to time

a recurrent fever

recurrently adverb

Medical Definition

recurrent

adjective

re·​cur·​rent -ˈkər-ənt, -ˈkə-rənt 

1

: running or turning back in a direction opposite to a former course

—used of various nerves and branches of vessels in the arms and legs

2

: returning or happening time after time

recurrent pain

recurrently adverb