Meanings
recollection1
plural recollections · alternative re-collection
- uncountableusuallyThe act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the act of recalling to memory.
Synonyms: reminiscence, remembrance
- uncountableusuallyThe power of recalling ideas to the mind, or the period within which things can be recollected; remembrance.
Alas that distant event isn't within my recollection anymore.
- uncountableusuallyThat which is recollected; something called to mind; a reminiscence.
One of his earliest recollections.
1 more example
Now, at almost 90, he is hale and hearty, full of recollections, and retains a keen interest in life—a truly remarkable character and a great gentleman of the footplate.
1959 April 28, L. H. Leedham, “A Veteran of the M.S.L.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 279 - archaicuncountableusuallyCatholicismThe act or practice of collecting or concentrating the mind; concentration; self-control.
From such an education Charles contracted habits of gravity and recollection.
1 more example
In a world filled with media and electronic devices, recollection can be difficult.
- uncountableusuallyCatholicismA spiritual retreat, especially one that is short.
recollection2
plural recollections · alternative re-collection
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the act of recalling to memory.
nounProcess of collecting again.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe ability to recall past occurrences
nounthe process of remembering (especially the process of recovering information by mental effort)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
recollection · noun
- Latinrecollectus
- Frenchrécollection
- Englishrecollection
Via French récollection or the verb recollect, both from Latin recollectus, the past participle of recolligere (“to collect again”), itself from re- + colligere (“to gather”).
Full word history & related roots →recollection · noun
- Proto-Italic*wre-
- Latinre-
- Old Frenchre-
- Middle Englishre-
- Englishre-
- Englishcollection
- Englishrecollection
From re- + collection.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bengali ইয়াদ, ইয়াদ
- ইয়াদ (iẏad)act of recalling to the memory
- ইয়াদ (iẏad)that which is called to mind
Bulgarian памет
- памет (pamet)power of recalling ideas to the mind
Catalan record, record
- recordact of recalling to the memory
- recordpower of recalling ideas to the mind
- recordthat which is called to mind
Chinese Mandarin 回憶 /回忆
- 回憶 /回忆 (huíyì)act of recalling to the memory
Czech vzpomínání, paměť
- vzpomínáníact of recalling to the memory
- paměťpower of recalling ideas to the mind
- vzpomínkathat which is called to mind
- zklidnění mysliarchaic: the act or practice of collecting or concentrating the mind
- rekolekcearchaic: the act or practice of collecting or concentrating the mind
Dutch herinnering, herinneren
- herinneringact of recalling to the memory
- herinnerenact of recalling to the memory
- herinneringpower of recalling ideas to the mind
- geheugenpower of recalling ideas to the mind
- herinneringthat which is called to mind
Esperanto memoro
- memorothat which is called to mind
Finnish muistaminen, muistelu
- muistaminenact of recalling to the memory
- muisteluact of recalling to the memory
- muisteleminenact of recalling to the memory
- muistipower of recalling ideas to the mind
- muistothat which is called to mind
- muistelmathat which is called to mind
- muistikuvathat which is called to mind
- muistelothat which is called to mind
French souvenir
- souveniract of recalling to the memory
German Erinnerung, Rückbesinnung
- Erinnerungact of recalling to the memory
- Rückbesinnungact of recalling to the memory
Greek ανάμνηση, αναθύμηση
- ανάμνηση (anámnisi)act of recalling to the memory
- αναθύμηση (anathýmisi)act of recalling to the memory
- αναπόληση (anapólisi)act of recalling to the memory
- ανάμνηση (anámnisi)power of recalling ideas to the mind
- ανάμνηση (anámnisi)that which is called to mind
- θύμηση (thýmisi)that which is called to mind
- μνήμη (mními)that which is called to mind
Hindi सुमिरण, सुमिरन
- सुमिरण (sumiraṇ)act of recalling to the memory
- सुमिरन (sumiran)act of recalling to the memory
- सुमिरण (sumiraṇ)that which is called to mind
- सुमिरन (sumiran)that which is called to mind
Hungarian emlékezés, emlékezet
- emlékezésact of recalling to the memory
- emlékezetpower of recalling ideas to the mind
- emlékthat which is called to mind
Japanese 記憶, 思い出
- 記憶 (kioku)act of recalling to the memory
- 思い出 (omoide)act of recalling to the memory
- 回想 (kaisō)act of recalling to the memory
- 記憶 (kioku)that which is called to mind
- 思い出 (omoide)that which is called to mind
- 回想 (kaisō)that which is called to mind
Korean 기억, 회상
- 기억 (gieok)act of recalling to the memory
- 회상 (hoesang)act of recalling to the memory
Latin recordatio, recordatus
- recordatioact of recalling to the memory
- recordatusact of recalling to the memory
- recordatiopower of recalling ideas to the mind
- recordatiothat which is called to mind
- recordatioarchaic: the act or practice of collecting or concentrating the mind
Māori mahara, pūmaharatanga
- maharaact of recalling to the memory
- pūmaharatangaact of recalling to the memory
- maharapower of recalling ideas to the mind
- pūmaharatangathat which is called to mind
Polish wspominanie, przypominanie sobie
- wspominanieact of recalling to the memory
- przypominanie sobieact of recalling to the memory
- pamięćpower of recalling ideas to the mind
- wspomnieniethat which is called to mind
- medytacjaarchaic: the act or practice of collecting or concentrating the mind
Portuguese recordação, memória
- recordaçãoact of recalling to the memory
- memóriapower of recalling ideas to the mind
- recordaçõespower of recalling ideas to the mind
- recordaçãothat which is called to mind
Romanian reamintire, amintire
- reamintireact of recalling to the memory
- amintirepower of recalling ideas to the mind
Russian воспомина́ние, сосредото́ченность
- воспомина́ние (vospominánije)act of recalling to the memory
- сосредото́ченность (sosredotóčennostʹ)power of recalling ideas to the mind
- со́бранность (sóbrannostʹ)power of recalling ideas to the mind
- воспомина́ние (vospominánije)that which is called to mind
Scottish Gaelic cuimhne, cuimhne
- cuimhnepower of recalling ideas to the mind
- cuimhnethat which is called to mind
Spanish recordación
- recordaciónthat which is called to mind
Turkish anma, zikir
- anmaact of recalling to the memory
- zikiract of recalling to the memory
- yâdact of recalling to the memory
- tahatturact of recalling to the memory
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with recollection
Anagrams
Cite this entry
recollection. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recollection
“recollection.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recollection. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “recollection,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recollection.
Source: recollection on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.