recursive definition
nounDefinition of recursive definition
: 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 preceding one
a recursive definition of the factorial is given by 0! = 1 and (n + 1)! = (n + 1) ‧ n!