Word
recurrence
Phoneticsre·cur·rence, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈkɝəns/
UK/ɹɪkˈʌɹəns/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. the fact of something happening again. It describes an event or a problem that returns after it had stopped.
n. the fact of occurring again or repeatedly. Often used in medical or technical contexts to describe the return of a condition or event after a period of absence.
Examples
“The doctor wants to prevent a recurrence of the infection.”
“Strict maintenance schedules are designed to prevent the recurrence of mechanical failures in the factory equipment.”
“While the initial treatment was successful, the patient remained under observation for several months to monitor for any potential recurrence of the symptoms.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor wants to prevent a recurrence of the infection.”
contextual
“Strict maintenance schedules are designed to prevent the recurrence of mechanical failures in the factory equipment.”
complex
“While the initial treatment was successful, the patient remained under observation for several months to monitor for any potential recurrence of the symptoms.”
Usage
Often paired with the preposition 'of' to specify what is happening again.
Real-World Examples
“The researchers found that fear of cancer recurrence affected depression through dyadic coping.” “Interim results of the study released on Wednesday found that the treatment met both goals of reducing cancer recurrence and preventing the spread of tumours.” Etymology
From recurrent + -ence, cognate with Latin recurrentia, from recurrēns (“returning back, recurring”), form of recurrō (“I return, I recur”) (English recur).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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