Final answer:
The statement that a recursive definition is characteristically a three step process is false. Recursive definitions generally consist of at least a base case and a recursive step, which can include multiple parts.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false that a recursive definition is characteristically a three step process. Recursive definitions can vary in the number of steps they include, but they usually consist of two fundamental components: the base case, where the initial condition or state is defined, and the recursive step, where the rule is given for proceeding from one instance to the next. In many cases, the recursive step can be decomposed into multiple parts or involve several recursive relations, but the definition does not require a fixed number of steps.