Meanings
recognize1
present singular third person recognizes · participle present recognizing · participle past recognized · past recognized · alternative recognise
- BritishEnglishOxfordUStransitiveTo match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing.
I recognized his face immediately, although his voice was different.
2 more examples
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 […], →OCLCSeeing comes before words. The child looks and recognizes before it can speak.
1973, John Berger, chapter 1, in Ways of Seeing, Penguin Books, →ISBN, →OCLCSynonyms: place
- BritishEnglishOxfordUStransitiveTo 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.
2 more examples
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 22It 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 - BritishEnglishOxfordUStransitiveor with clauseTo acknowledge or consider (as being a certain thing or having a certain quality or property).
Slavery is widely recognized as immoral.
2 more examples
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 - BritishEnglishOxfordUStransitiveTo 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 - BritishEnglishOxfordUStransitiveTo show formal appreciation of, as with an award, commendation etc.
The soldier was recognized in dispatches.
1 more example
His services were recognized in a testimonial.
- BritishEnglishOxfordUSobsoleteTo 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 - BritishEnglishOxfordUSobsoleteTo 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 - BritishEnglishOxfordUSimmunologyTo have the property to bind to specific antigens.
recognize2
present singular third person recognizes · participle present recognizing · participle past recognized · past recognized · alternative re-cognize
- BritishEnglishNorth AmericanOxfordUKUSto cognize again
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing.
More synonyms by meaning
verbaccept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept their power and authority
verbbe fully aware or cognizant of
verbdetect with the senses
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
recognize · verb
- Latinrecognoscere
- Old Frenchreconoistre
- Middle Frenchreconoistre
- Englishrecognize
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”).
More words from Middle French, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →recognize · verb
- Proto-Italic*wre-
- Latinre-
- Old Frenchre-
- Middle Englishre-
- Englishre-
- Englishcognize
- Englishrecognize
Translations
Afrikaans herken, erken
- herkento match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- erkento acknowledge the existence or legality of
- erkento acknowledge as something
Ancient Greek ἐπιγιγνώσκω, ἀναγνωρίζω
- ἐπιγιγνώσκω (epigignṓskō)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- ἀναγνωρίζω (anagnōrízō)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- ἀναγιγνώσκω (anagignṓskō)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Arabic تَعَرَّفَ
- تَعَرَّفَ (taʕarrafa)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Bulgarian позна́вам, позна́я
- позна́вам (poznávam)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- позна́я (poznája)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- призна́вам (priznávam)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- призна́я (priznája)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- осъзна́вам (osăznávam)to realize or discover the nature of something
- осъзна́я (osăznája)to realize or discover the nature of something
- зачи́там (začítam)to acknowledge as something
- зачета́ (začetá)to acknowledge as something
Catalan reconèixer, reconèixer
- reconèixerto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- reconèixerto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- reconèixerto acknowledge as something
Chinese Mandarin 認出 /认出, 認識 /认识
- 認出 /认出 (rènchū)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- 認識 /认识to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- 承認 /承认 (chéngrèn)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
Czech poznávat, poznat
- poznávatto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- poznatto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- uznávatto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- uznatto acknowledge the existence or legality of
Danish genkende, anerkende
- genkendeto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- anerkendeto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- erkendeto realize or discover the nature of something
Dutch herkennen, erkennen
- herkennento match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- erkennento acknowledge the existence or legality of
- onderkennento realize or discover the nature of something
- erkennento acknowledge as something
Esperanto rekoni, rekoni
- rekonito match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- rekonito acknowledge the existence or legality of
Finnish tunnistaa, tuntea
- tunnistaato match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- tunteato match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- tunnustaato acknowledge the existence or legality of
- oivaltaato realize or discover the nature of something
- palkitato give an award
- tunnustaato acknowledge as something
- tunnistaato acknowledge as something
French reconnaître, reconnaître
- reconnaîtreto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- reconnaîtreto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- reconnaîtreto realize or discover the nature of something
- reconnaîtreto acknowledge as something
German erkennen, anerkennen
- erkennento match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- anerkennento acknowledge the existence or legality of
Greek αναγνωρίζω, αναγνωρίζω
- αναγνωρίζω (anagnorízo)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- αναγνωρίζω (anagnorízo)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- αναγνωρίζω (anagnorízo)to acknowledge as something
Hindi पहचानना
- पहचानना (pahcānnā)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Hungarian felismer, megismer
- felismerto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- megismerto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- elismerto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- felismerto realize or discover the nature of something
- észreveszto realize or discover the nature of something
- elismerto give an award
- elismerto acknowledge as something
Icelandic kannast við, viðurkenna
- kannast viðto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- viðurkennato acknowledge the existence or legality of
Irish aithin, aithin
- aithinto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- aithinto acknowledge the existence or legality of
Italian riconoscere, ammettere
- riconoscereto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- ammettereto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- premiareto give an award
Japanese 認める, 認識する
- 認める (mitomeru)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- 認識する (ninshiki-suru)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- 認める (mitomeru)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- 認識する (ninshiki-suru)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- 認める (mitomeru)to realize or discover the nature of something
- 認識する (ninshiki suru)to realize or discover the nature of something
- 認める (mitomeru)to give an award
- 表彰する (hyōshō suru)to give an award
- 認める (mitomeru)to acknowledge as something
- 認識する (ninshiki-suru)to acknowledge as something
Korean 알아보다
- 알아보다 (araboda)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Latin cōgnōscō, recōgnōscō
- cōgnōscōto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- recōgnōscōto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Māori āhukahuka
- āhukahukato match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Norwegian Bokmål gjenkjenne, anerkjenne
- gjenkjenneto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- anerkjenneto acknowledge the existence or legality of
Persian شناختن, به رسمیت شناختن
- شناختن (šenâxtan)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- به رسمیت شناختن (be rasmiyyat šenâxtan)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- تشخیص دادن (tašxis dâdan)to realize or discover the nature of something
Polish rozpoznawać, rozpoznać
- rozpoznawaćto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- rozpoznaćto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- poznaćto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- uznawaćto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- uznaćto acknowledge the existence or legality of
Portuguese reconhecer, reconhecer
- reconhecerto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- reconhecerto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- reconhecerto acknowledge as something
Romanian recunoaște, recunoaște
- recunoașteto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- recunoașteto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- recunoașteto realize or discover the nature of something
- recunoașteto acknowledge as something
Russian узнава́ть, узна́ть
- узнава́ть (uznavátʹ)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- узна́ть (uznátʹ)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- опознава́ть (opoznavátʹ)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- опозна́ть (opoznátʹ)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- признава́ть (priznavátʹ)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- призна́ть (priznátʹ)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- осознава́ть (osoznavátʹ)to realize or discover the nature of something
- осозна́ть (osoznátʹ)to realize or discover the nature of something
- постига́ть (postigátʹ)to realize or discover the nature of something
- пости́чь (postíčʹ)to realize or discover the nature of something
- признава́ть (priznavátʹ)to acknowledge as something
- призна́ть (priznátʹ)to acknowledge as something
Slovak spoznávať, spoznať
- spoznávaťto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- spoznaťto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- uznávaťto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- uznaťto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- rozoznávaťto realize or discover the nature of something
- rozoznaťto realize or discover the nature of something
Spanish reconocer, identificar
- reconocerto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- identificarto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- reconocerto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- homologarto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- cognocerto realize or discover the nature of something
- distinguirto realize or discover the nature of something
- reconocerto acknowledge as something
Swahili kutambua
- kutambuato match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Swedish känna igen, erkänna
- känna igento match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- erkännato acknowledge the existence or legality of
- erkännato realize or discover the nature of something
Tagalog makilala, kumilala
- makilalato match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- kumilalato match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- kilalaninto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- mamukhaanto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- kilanlinto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- tumanggapto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- tanggapinto acknowledge the existence or legality of
- kumilalato acknowledge the existence or legality of
- kilalaninto acknowledge the existence or legality of
Turkish tanımak, tanımak
- tanımakto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- tanımakto acknowledge the existence or legality of
Ukrainian впізнава́ти, впізна́ти
- впізнава́ти (vpiznaváty)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- впізна́ти (vpiznáty)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- розпізнава́ти (rozpiznaváty)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- розпізна́ти (rozpiznáty)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- визнава́ти (vyznaváty)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- ви́знати (význaty)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
- визнава́ти (vyznaváty)to acknowledge as something
- ви́знати (význaty)to acknowledge as something
Urdu پہچانا
- پہچانا (pahcānnā)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Welsh adnabod
- adnabodto match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
Yiddish דערקענען, דערקענען
- דערקענען (derkenen)to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- דערקענען (derkenen)to acknowledge the existence or legality of
Zulu -bona, -bonga
- -bonato match in memory; to know from a previous encounter
- -bongato give an award
- -vumato acknowledge as something
Cite this entry
recognize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recognize
“recognize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recognize. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “recognize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recognize.
Source: recognize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.