Late Middle English (in an earlier sense). From Middle French recordation (French recordation, now arch.) memory, remembrance, mention, report, description and its etymon classical Latin recordātiōn-, recordātiō act of calling to mind, recollection, faculty of recollection, in post-classical Latin also action of recording, record (frequently from 1115 in British sources) from recordāt-, past participial stem of recordārī + -iō. Compare Spanish recordación, Italian ricordazione.