How to call an event that keeps appearing?
According to a dictionary, both 'recurrent' and 'recurring' seem fine but there must be some slight difference between them.
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1 Answer
Their basic meanings are very similar; in many cases they could be equally valid. There are certain contexts where "recurrent" would be more likely; in particular recurrent "recurrent" would show up in medical or technical applications.
Examples:
The patient had recurrent chest pain
The mathematics lecture was on recurrent relations
The first example might be said with "recurring" by someone who isn't a medical professional.
So ultimately, "recurring" is far more commonly used and in a wider set of circumstances. "Recurrent" is mostly used in technical fields.
Why do two such similar words exist in English? It's a result of how English vocabulary developed. "Recurrent" is more directly based on a Latin present participle whereas recurring is based on the English verb "recur" which derives from a Latin verb. This pattern occurs frequently in English as a result we end up with similar meaning terms which derive from the same source which are all used in English with varying frequencies and overlap.
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1You implied this but didn't state this outright, but I would argue that "recurring" is more commonly used.– BradCSep 29, 2016 at 14:57
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