Early 17th century; earliest use found in Thomas Lodge (1558–1625), author and physician. Either from classical Latin recōgitāt-, past participial stem of recōgitāre to reflect, consider, to think (something) over, in post-classical Latin also to change one's mind (in an undated glossary in Du Cange; from re- + cōgitāre), or from re- + cogitate. Compare Middle French recogiter.