Reconnaissance

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɹiˈkɒnəsəns/

Definitions

1. A military observation of a region to locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features
2. preliminary survey of an area to gather intelligence or assess conditions before a larger operation
3. exploratory examination of territory or situation to obtain information for decision-making purposes
4. An exploratory survey or inspection of an area, typically to gather information about terrain, enemy positions, or strategic conditions before taking action
5. A preliminary investigation or examination of a location or situation conducted to obtain essential intelligence or assess conditions

Etymology: Its sense of military scouting comes from a word that once meant simply "recognition." The English noun descends from French "reconnaissance," meaning recognition or acknowledgment, and the two words share a root in the Latin "recognoscere," to recognize again. Today's meaning, looking over ground before acting, grew out of that older idea of re-examining something to know it properly. English has a near twin in "recognizance," which is a doublet of this word. Both came into English from French forms of the same Latin root, but they split apart in sense: "recognizance" kept the legal sense of a binding pledge or bond, while "reconnaissance" moved toward the idea of checking things out.

Synonyms: exploration, investigation, survey