recognize en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈɹɛk.əɡ.naɪz/
- (US) audio
- /ˈɹekəɡnɑɪz/ (Australia)
- /ˈɹɛk.ən.aɪz/ (proscribed, sometimes)
- (UK) audio
- /ˈɹekənɑɪz/ (Australia)
- /ˈɹɛk.ɪɡ.naɪz/
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French reconoistre, from Old French reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, first attested in the 16th century. Displaced native English acknow (“to recognize, perceive as”), compare German erkennen and Swedish erkänna. Latin had rare recognizare (“to try by jury”).
Meanings
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(British, English, Oxford, US, transitive) To match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing.
Seeing comes before words. The child looks and recognizes before it can speak.
1973, John Berger, chapter 1, in Ways of Seeing, Penguin Books, →ISBN, →OCLC:I recognized his face immediately, although his voice was different.
He looked in vain into the stalls for the butcher who had sold fresh meat twice a week, on market days, and he felt a genuine thrill of pleasure when he recognized the red bandana turban of old Aunt Lyddy, the ancient negro woman who had sold him gingerbread and fried fish, and told him weird tales of witchcraft and conjuration, in the old days when, as an idle boy, he had loafed about the market-house.
1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:
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(British, English, Oxford, US, transitive) To acknowledge the existence or legality of; to treat as valid or worthy of consideration.
The US and a number of EU countries are expected to recognize Kosovo on Monday.
The U.S. recognizes Canadian sovereignty over the islands bordering the passage but insists that the passage itself is an international waterway open to ships of all nations.
1990 August, John Bockstoce, “Changing Images of the Northwest Passage”, in National Geographic, volume 178, number 2, page 22:It is the policy of the United States that no executive department or agency shall issue documents recognizing United States citizenship to […] persons when neither parent of that person is a citizen […]
2026 August 6, Donald J. Trump, “Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship”, in The White House, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2026:
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(British, English, Oxford, US, qualifier:or with clause, transitive) To acknowledge or consider (as being a certain thing or having a certain quality or property).
Slavery is widely recognized as immoral.
I recognize that my behaviour has been unacceptable.
“The United States government maintains relationships with unofficial partners around the world, and Taiwan is no exception. Our two democracies share common values of individual freedom, the rule of law, and a respect for human dignity. Today’s statement recognizes that the US-Taiwan relationship need not, and should not, be shackled by self-imposed restrictions of our permanent bureaucracy,” Pompeo wrote.
2021 January 9, Kylie Atwood, quoting Mike Pompeo, “US lifts self-imposed restrictions with Taiwan”, in CNN, archived from the original on 25 Jan 2021:
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(British, English, Oxford, US, transitive) To realize or discover the nature of something; apprehend quality in.
In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.
2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
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(British, English, Oxford, US, transitive) To show formal appreciation of, as with an award, commendation etc.
His services were recognized in a testimonial.
The soldier was recognized in dispatches.
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(British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete) To review; to examine again.
We do moste humbly submytte it [this treatise] to[…]your maiestie, to be recognised, ouersene, and corrected.
1534, Thomas Cranmer, The Institution of a Christian Man:
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(British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete) To reconnoiter.
before the siege was layd to the Towne, of minde to recognize, he fell unawares amongst an Ambushcade
1637, Robert Monro, Monro, His Expedition With the Worthy Scots Regiment Called Mac-Keys:
- (British, English, Oxford, US) To have the property to bind to specific antigens.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| recognizes | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| recognise | alternative | lexicographic | |
| recognized | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| recognized | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| recognizing | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Deriveds
underrecognize · recognizor · derecognize · recognizable · recognizee · unrecognizable · recognizably · recognizability · immunorecognize · recognizance · allorecognize · misrecognize · recognizingly · recognizant · unrecognize · recognin · recognization · recognizer
Relateds
acknowledge · recognition · reconnaissance
Synonyms
Translations (211)
tl mamukhaan (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · tl kilanlin (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ru призна́ть (to acknowledge as something) · af erken (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · bg позна́я (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · jra kran (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · oc arreconéisher (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · yi דערקענען (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ru осознава́ть (to realize or discover the nature of something) · pt reconhecer (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · mrw kilala (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · yi דערקענען (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · mk препознава (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · zza sınasnayen (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · tl tumanggap (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ks پَرزٕناوُن (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · zu -bona (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ko 알아보다 (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sw kutambua (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · grc ἐπιγιγνώσκω (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sl prepoznavati (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · bg зачи́там (to acknowledge as something) · hu elismer (to give an award) · fa شناختن (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk ви́знати (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ro recunoaște (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ml അംഗീകരിക്കുക (to acknowledge as something) · fr reconnaître (to realize or discover the nature of something) · fr reconnaître (to acknowledge as something) · ml അംഗീകരിക്കുക (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · fi tunnustaa (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · nb gjenkjenne (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · dsb póznaś (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk ви́знати (to acknowledge as something) · ja 認める (to give an award) · el αναγνωρίζω (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · sk spoznávať (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · is viðurkenna (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · nl erkennen (to acknowledge as something) · af erken (to acknowledge as something) · tl kumilala (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ru постига́ть (to realize or discover the nature of something) · ja 認める (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · hu megismer (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sh prepòznati (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · mi āhukahuka (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · cs uznat (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · is kannast við (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ca reconèixer (to acknowledge as something) · sv erkänna (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · jv weruh (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · bg осъзна́я (to realize or discover the nature of something) · nl erkennen (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ml തിരിച്ചറിയുക (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · el αναγνωρίζω (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · la recōgnōscō (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ru опозна́ть (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ja 表彰する (to give an award) · es identificar (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · fi oivaltaa (to realize or discover the nature of something) · wa ricnoxhe (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ga aithin (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ba таныу (to acknowledge as something) · be распазна́ць (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · zdj uramɓua (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk розпізна́ти (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · de anerkennen (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ja 認識する (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · da erkende (to realize or discover the nature of something) · ro recunoaște (to realize or discover the nature of something) · bg призна́вам (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ru признава́ть (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · gu ઓળખવું (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · as চিনা (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk визнава́ти (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · tg шинохтан (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · tl kilalanin (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ota طانیمق (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · scn arricanùsciri (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · es cognocer (to realize or discover the nature of something) · fur ricognossi (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · nl herkennen (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · fi tuntea (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · tl kumilala (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · hy Ճանաչել (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ja 認識する (to acknowledge as something) · tl tanggapin (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · bg зачета́ (to acknowledge as something) · fi tunnustaa (to acknowledge as something) · es reconocer (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · wa ricnoxhe (to realize or discover the nature of something) · ru узна́ть (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk розпізнава́ти (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sk spoznať (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ro recunoaște (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ru узнава́ть (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ru пости́чь (to realize or discover the nature of something) · eo rekoni (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · wa ricnoxhe (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ca reconèixer (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · zza şık bıyen (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · mfe rekonet (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · fa تشخیص دادن (to realize or discover the nature of something) · ga aithin (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · zu -bonga (to give an award) · ja 認識する (to realize or discover the nature of something) · my မှတ်မိ (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sh prepoznávati (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk впізна́ти (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · pl poznać (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · de erkennen (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · gl recoñecer (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · tl makilala (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · be пазна́ць (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ur پہچانا (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · hu felismer (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sk uznávať (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ru признава́ть (to acknowledge as something) · as চিনি পোৱা (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · pl uznać (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ba таныу (to realize or discover the nature of something) · da genkende (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · cmn 認出 /认出 (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · pl rozpoznawać (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · io rikonocar (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · pl uznawać (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · bg позна́вам (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · be пазнава́ць (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · it riconoscere (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · es homologar (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · inc-ogu उलखिवउं (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · tr tanımak (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · es reconocer (to acknowledge as something) · fa به رسمیت شناختن (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · sga ad·gnin (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk впізнава́ти (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · zu -vuma (to acknowledge as something) · ro recunoaște (to acknowledge as something) · txb kärs- (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · cmn 承認 /承认 (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ru опознава́ть (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · fr reconnaître (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · jv weruh (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · sq njoh (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · zza sınasten (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · la cōgnōscō (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · bg осъзна́вам (to realize or discover the nature of something) · es reconocer (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · sk uznať (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · cy adnabod (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · hu elismer (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · it ammettere (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · scn ricanùsciri (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sv känna igen (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · tr tanımak (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ja 認める (to acknowledge as something) · pt reconhecer (to acknowledge as something) · wa ricnoxhe (to acknowledge as something) · grc ἀναγνωρίζω (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · af herken (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · pt reconhecer (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · hi पहचानना (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · fi palkita (to give an award) · es distinguir (to realize or discover the nature of something) · ota طانیمق (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ja 認める (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uk визнава́ти (to acknowledge as something) · eo rekoni (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · be распазнава́ць (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sk rozoznávať (to realize or discover the nature of something) · sk rozoznať (to realize or discover the nature of something) · fi tunnistaa (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · cmn 認識 /认识 (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · cs poznat (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ar تَعَرَّفَ (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ba таныу (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · sv erkänna (to realize or discover the nature of something) · cs poznávat (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · mk препознае (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sh препо̀знати (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ru осозна́ть (to realize or discover the nature of something) · ca reconèixer (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · pl rozpoznać (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ba таныу (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · da anerkende (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ja 認識する (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · fi tunnistaa (to acknowledge as something) · osx undarthenkian (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · bg призна́я (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · el αναγνωρίζω (to acknowledge as something) · nb anerkjenne (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · grc ἀναγιγνώσκω (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ja 認める (to realize or discover the nature of something) · tl kilalanin (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · ky таануу (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · msk kilara (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · uli ichilgula (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ist ricugnusi (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · oc reconéisser (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · ru призна́ть (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · pdt kjanen (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sl prepoznati (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · it premiare (to give an award) · fr reconnaître (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · hu észrevesz (to realize or discover the nature of something) · hu elismer (to acknowledge as something) · dsb spóznaś (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · sh препозна́вати (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter) · hu felismer (to realize or discover the nature of something) · cs uznávat (to acknowledge the existence or legality of) · nl onderkennen (to realize or discover the nature of something)