recognition

noun

rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌre-kig-ˈni-shən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
-kəg-
1
: the action of recognizing : the state of being recognized: such as
a
: acknowledgment
especially : formal acknowledgment of the political existence of a government or nation
b
: knowledge or feeling that someone or something present has been encountered before
2
: special notice or attention
3
: the sensing and encoding of printed or written data by a machine
optical character recognition
magnetic ink character recognition

Examples of recognition in a Sentence

The procedure is gaining recognition as the latest advance in organ transplant surgery. The Olympic Committee gave official recognition to the sport. His smile was a recognition that things were not so bad. Her paintings received recognition from her fellow artists. All she wanted was some recognition for her work. He finally received the recognition that he deserved. They were awarded medals in recognition of their bravery.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Concession stands incorporate facial recognition to allow fans who have linked their wallets to the arena’s app to walk in and out, bypassing registers. Andrew Greif, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024 This is further reinforced by research showing that 81.9% of employees agree that recognition for their contributions improves their engagement. Serenity Gibbons, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Jones broke the color barrier again as the first Black composer to receive name recognition for his film work. Jennifer Frederick, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024 The race represents a rare case of low name recognition being advantageous, particularly in a state like Arizona that values pragmatism. Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for recognition 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English recognicion, from Anglo-French recognition, from Latin recognition-, recognitio, from recognoscere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recognition was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near recognition

Cite this Entry

“Recognition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recognition. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

recognition

noun
rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌrek-ig-ˈnish-ən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
ˌrek-əg-
1
: the act of recognizing
2
: acknowledgment of something done or given
got a medal in recognition of bravery
3
: formal acknowledgment of the political existence of a government or nation
4
: special attention or notice

Medical Definition

recognition

noun
rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌrek-əg-ˈnish-ən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
: the form of memory that consists in knowing or feeling that a present object has been met before

Legal Definition

recognition

noun
rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌre-kəg-ˈni-shən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
1
: the act, process, or fact of recognizing
2
: the state of being recognized
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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