recur

Recur is a verb that means to occur again, especially after an interval, or to come back to mind. It is used to describe events, symptoms, or ideas that reappear. The word comes from Latin recurrere, meaning “to run back,” with re- meaning “again” and currere “to run.”

In medicine, recurring refers to symptoms or illnesses that reappear after a period of remission or improvement. In finance and everyday scheduling, it describes payments or charges that occur at regular intervals, such as recurring monthly subscriptions. In common usage, people say that problems, memories, or questions recur when they return.

In language and literature, recurrence is used to discuss motifs, themes, or memories that reappear over time. In mathematics and computer science, related concepts include recurrence relations and recursion, which describe processes that refer back to earlier states or calls. While related in meaning, the verb recur is typically used in plain language, whereas recurrence and recursion are the common terms in technical contexts.

Examples: The symptoms may recur after a period of relief. The doctor warned that the illness could recur. The service charges recur every quarter. Recurrence is the noun form that denotes the act or instance of recurring, while recurring is the adjective describing ongoing repetition.

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