recognize

Recognize is defined as to identify someone or something known at an earlier time.

(verb)

An example of recognize is to see an old friend in a crowd after being apart for many years.

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See recognize in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb recognized, recognizing

  1. to be aware of as something or someone known before, or as the same as that known: to recognize an old friend after many years
  2. to know by some detail, as of appearance; identify: to recognize a butterfly by its coloring
  3. to be aware of the significance of: to recognize symptoms
  4. to acknowledge the existence, validity, authority, or genuineness of: to recognize a claim
  5. to accept as a fact; admit; accept: to recognize defeat
  6. to acknowledge as worthy of appreciation or approval: to recognize devotion
  7. to acknowledge the legal standing of (a government, state, etc.) by some formal action, as by entering into diplomatic relations
  8. to show acquaintance with (a person) by greeting
  9. ☆ to acknowledge as having the right to speak, as in a meeting

Origin: altered (infl. by recognizance) < extended stem of OFr reconoistre: see recognizance

Related Forms:

See recognize in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb rec·og·nized, rec·og·niz·ing, rec·og·niz·es
  1. To know to be something that has been perceived before: recognize a face.
  2. To know or identify from past experience or knowledge: recognize hostility.
  3. To perceive or show acceptance of the validity or reality of: recognizes the concerns of the tenants.
  4. To permit to address a meeting: The club's president recognized the new member.
  5. To accept officially the national status of as a new government.
  6. To show awareness of; approve of or appreciate: recognize services rendered.
  7. To admit the acquaintance of, as by salutation: recognize an old friend with a cheerful greeting.
  8. Law To enter into a recognizance.
  9. Biology To exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate, for example).

Origin:

Origin: Middle English recognisen, to resume possession of land

Origin: , alteration (influenced by Medieval Latin recognizāre, to recognize)

Origin: of Old French reconoistre, reconoiss-, to know again

Origin: , from Latin recognōscere

Origin: : re-, re-

Origin: + cognōscere, to get to know; see gnō- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • recˈog·nizˌa·ble adjective
  • recˈog·nizˌa·bly adverb
  • recˈog·nizˌer noun

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