A method and system for determining similarity between items is provided. To calculate similarity scores for pairs of items, the similarity system initializes a similarity score for each pair of objects and each pair of features. The similarity system then iteratively calculates the similarity scores for each pair of objects based on the similar scores of the pairs of features calculated during a previous iteration and calculates the similarity scores for each pair of features based on the similarity scores of the pairs of objects calculated during a previous iteration. The similarity system implements an algorithm that is based on a recursive definition of the similarities between objects and between features. The similarity system continues the iterations of recalculating the similarity scores until the similarity scores converge on a solution.