recess vs apse

recess and apse both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
recess	Yes	No	Yes	No
apse	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, apse is a hyponym of recess; that is, apse is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than recess:

recess: an enclosure that is set back or indented
apse: a domed or vaulted recess or projection on a building especially the east end of a church; usually contains the altar

Other hyponyms of recess include alcove, bay, apsis, cinerarium, columbarium, fireplace, hearth, open fireplace, mihrab.

recess (noun)	apse (noun)
a pause from doing something (as work)	a domed or vaulted recess or projection on a building especially the east end of a church; usually contains the altar
an enclosure that is set back or indented
an arm off of a larger body of water (often between rocky headlands)
a small concavity
a state of abeyance or suspended business