Phrase guide

recursive acronym

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • rhymes with -ækɹənɪm

1

noun

Meaning 1

An acronym in which a word (often the first) of the phrase represented by the acronym is the acronym itself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From recursive + acronym, originating in early hacker culture and later popularized by Douglas Hofstadter.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: recursief acroniem — an acronym in which a word of the phrase represented by the acronym is the acronym itself
  • Finnish: rekursiivinen akronyymi — an acronym in which a word of the phrase represented by the acronym is the acronym itself
  • French: acronyme récursif — an acronym in which a word of the phrase represented by the acronym is the acronym itself
  • Spanish: acrónimo recursivo — an acronym in which a word of the phrase represented by the acronym is the acronym itself