How to pronounce recursion
Say it like rih-KUR-zhun. Recursion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce recursion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- rih
- KUR
- zhun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Recursion pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- KURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- zhunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of recursion
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: rih-KUR-zhun.
What does recursion mean?
- The act of recurring.
- The act of defining an object (usually a function) in terms of that object itself.“n! = n × (n − 1)! (for n > 0) or 1 (for n = 0) defines the factorial function using recursion.”
- The invocation of a procedure from within itself.“This function uses recursion to compute factorials.”
Where does recursion come from?
Borrowed from Latin recursiō (“the act of running back or again, return”), from recurrō (“run back; return”), from re- (“back, again”) + currō (“run”).
Words that rhyme with recursion
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of recursion.
Questions about saying recursion
How do you pronounce recursion?
Say rih-KUR-zhun. The American pronunciation is /rɪˈkɝʒən/. In British English it is /rɪˈkɜːʒən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in recursion?
Recursion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KUR). Broken into parts: rih · KUR · zhun.
Is recursion pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /rɪˈkɜːʒən/ (rih-KUR-zhun).