Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French reconis-, reconiss-, reconois-, reconuis-, recognois-, etc., stem forms of reconoistre, reconustre (French reconnaître , †reconnoître ) to acknowledge (a fault, etc.) (10th cent. in Old French), to identify or recall from past experience or a previous encounter (end of the 10th cent.), identify from knowledge of appearance or character (12th cent.), to acknowledge as feudal superior, lord, etc. (12th cent.), to acknowledge as true or real (12th cent.), to acknowledge (something as or to be something) (13th cent. or earlier in Anglo-Norman), to show gratitude for (14th cent. or earlier), to reward (someone on account of their merits) (15th cent.), to acknowledge as one's own (1549) < classical Latin recognōscere recognosce v.; the English word shows early assimilation of the ending to -ize suffix (as is shown earlier by post-classical Latin recognizare to investigate by jury (1284, 1315 in British sources), to find guilty (c1305 in a British source) < Anglo-Norman). Compare Old Occitan reconoisser (12th cent.; 13th cent. in sense ‘to check, examine, revise’), Catalan reconèixer (13th cent.), Spanish reconocer (13th cent.), Portuguese reconhecer (13th cent.), Italian riconoscere (13th cent.), ricognoscere (14th cent.; now archaic). Compare cognize v., and later reconnoitre v., reconnaitre v., recognosce v. Compare earlier recognizance n.The -g- was introduced by association with classical Latin recognōscere ; it was perhaps originally purely graphic (as in Middle French, although compare post-classical Latin recognizare ), but now is the usual form in formal speech. Compare recognizance n. and discussion at cognizance n. In sense 6a after classical Latin recognōscere recognosce v.