recurrent
Americanadjective
-
that recurs; occurring or appearing again, especially repeatedly or periodically.
- Synonyms:
- intermittent, persistent, repeated
-
Anatomy. turned back so as to run in a reverse direction, as a nerve, artery, branch, etc.
adjective
-
happening or tending to happen again or repeatedly
-
anatomy (of certain nerves, branches of vessels, etc) turning back, so as to run in the opposite direction
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of recurrent
1590–1600; < Latin recurrent- (stem of recurrēns ), present participle of recurrere to run back, equivalent to recurr ( ere ) ( see recur) + -ent- -ent
Explanation
Do you dream again and again that you are flying? If so, you could say that you have a recurrent dream of flight. Recurrent means something that happens repeatedly. The word recurrent comes from a Latin word meaning "to return or come back." A recurrent dream, good or bad, keeps coming back. You'll hear this word used often about abstract things like dreams, thoughts, and in literature, themes. For instance, the theme of a motherless child finding its way in the world is recurrent in pop culture and literature.
Vocabulary lists containing recurrent
Make a Run for It: Cur, Curs
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The paper 'Experimental glycopeptide antibiotic EVG7 prevents recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection by sparing members of the Lachnospiraceae family' was published in Nature Communications.
From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026
The German pharma-to-agriculture group said asundexian reduced by 26% the risk of recurrent stroke in patients who experienced an initial stroke compared to placebo.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
Following the successful surgery, his medical team deemed it necessary to treat his recurrent hiccups, which he had been suffering from for months.
From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025
Even a recurrent but unadorned lyric like “I hunger and thirst” becomes an instant earworm.
From Salon • Dec. 27, 2025
He was stressed, suffering the chest pains and swollen joints of recurrent rheumatic fever.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
