recognizance

noun

re·​cog·​ni·​zance ri-ˈkäg-nə-zən(t)s 

-ˈkä-nə-

1

a

: an obligation of record entered into before a court or magistrate requiring the performance of an act (such as appearance in court) usually under penalty of a money forfeiture

released on his own recognizance

b

: the sum liable to forfeiture upon such an obligation

2

archaic : token, pledge

Examples of recognizance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Agents served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice judge, before he was released on his own recognizance. —Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Feb. 2025

The liaison filed three reports to the court between September and November, and, in early November, a Denver County Court judge adjusted Caudill’s bonds to personal recognizance bonds. —Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2025

She was released from detention the next day and given a personal recognizance bond on her charges, Greenville Public Information Officer Sgt. —Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024

At first, a magistrate judge ordered Nagbe released on a personal recognizance bond, but the federal government urged the magistrate to keep Nagbe in custody, and he is now being detained pending trial. —Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English recognissance, alteration of reconissaunce, from Anglo-French, from reconoistre to recognize

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing recognizance

• on someone's own recognizance

Kids Definition

recognizance

noun

re·​cog·​ni·​zance ri-ˈkäg-nə-zən(t)s 

-ˈkän-ə-

: a recorded legal promise to do something (as to appear in court)

Legal Definition

recognizance

noun

re·​cog·​ni·​zance ri-ˈkäg-nə-zəns 

1

: an obligation entered into on the record before a court or magistrate requiring the performance of an act (as the paying of a debt) usually under penalty of a money forfeiture

also : the sum liable to forfeiture

2

: a simple personal obligation or undertaking (as to appear in court) entered into before a magistrate and having no money penalty attached

released on his own recognizance

Etymology

Anglo-French recognisance, reconisance, literally, recognition, from Old French reconoisance, from reconoistre to recognize, from Latin recognoscere