cognizance

The story

1. Latin · derived fromcognōscō“know”
2. Old French · derived fromconoissance“acquaintance, recognition; knowledge, wisdom”
3. Old French · derived fromconysance“recognition," later, "knowledge”
4. Middle English · inherited fromconysaunce
5. English todaycognizance

From Middle English conysaunce, from Old French conysance (“recognition," later, "knowledge”), from Old French conoissance (“acquaintance, recognition; knowledge, wisdom”), from conoistre (“to know”), from Latin cognōscō (“know”), from con- (“with”) + gnōscō (“know”). By surface analysis, cogniz(e) (a back-formation) + -ance.

Words from the same roots