rə̇ˈkər]s]iv, rē-, (ˈ)rē]|k-, -kə̄], -kəi], ]z], ]ēv also ]əv-\ noun
Etymology: recurs ion (II) + -ive
: a definition of a function permitting values of the function to be calculated systematically in a finite number of steps ; especially : a mathematical definition in which the first case is given and the nth case is defined in terms of one or more previous cases and especially the immediately preceeding one
a recursive definition of the factorial is given by 0! . 1 and (n + 1)! . (n + 1) . n!