recognize
UK[ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz]US[ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz]
v
to know who someone is or what something is when you see or hear them, because you have seen or heard them before
v
to accept that something is true or important
v
to officially accept that an organization, a government, a document, etc. has legal or official authority
Morpheme Breakdown
re
cognize
re
again
cognize
know
Etymology
the word recognize originates from the latin verb 'recognoscere', a compound of the prefix 're-' (meaning "again") and the verb 'cognoscere' (meaning "to get to know, to learn"). this literal sense of "knowing again" or "reviewing" was adopted into old french as 'reconoistre', before entering middle english. the core semantic thread from latin to modern english involves the act of bringing something back into one's knowledge, evolving from a physical re-encounter to the abstract mental acts of identification, acknowledgment, and formal acceptance.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + cognize (know)
re- is a Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back". cognize is derived from the Latin root 'cognoscere', meaning "to get to know, to learn".
Examples
i hardly recognized my old school friend after so many years.
the government refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the new regime.
most scientists recognize climate change as a serious threat.