adjective

recurrent

rih-KUR-ent/rɪˈkɜːrənt/

Happening repeatedly or returning after intervals.

The calendar records recurrent headaches on several separate dates.

Calendar pages show the same recurring headache episode on separate dates.

Etymology

reLatinback, again

+currLatinrun

+entLatinpresent participle ending

The pieces describe something running back or returning. That image of return underlies recurrent: an event or condition comes back from time to time rather than occurring only once.

In context

Some Books Considered2:56

I just started having these dreams, which were recurrent dreams. They came back the next night and the next night

"Metamorphosis: A Natural and Human History" by Oren Harman

More examples

Recurrent flooding forces the town to repair this road.
She has a recurrent dream about missing the bus.
A recurrent software error interrupts our work.

Forms

recurrent

recur verb — To happen again or return after intervals.

recurrence noun — Another occurrence of something that happened before.

Similar words

recurring: Usually interchangeable; also commonly describes scheduled payments or events.
periodic: Suggests recurrence at regular intervals rather than irregular returns.
repeated: Emphasizes multiple occurrences without necessarily suggesting intervals between them.