recognise
UK: ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz | US: ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz
vt. to identify someone or something as previously known or encountered
vt. to acknowledge the existence, validity, or legality of something
vt. to show appreciation or approval of someone’s achievements
The word "recognise" traces back to Latin recognoscere, combining re- (again) and cognoscere (to know). It entered Middle English via Old French reconoistre, retaining the core idea of "knowing again" or "acknowledging." The British spelling preserves the -se ending, while American English uses -ze ("recognize" → modern "recognize"). The morphemes logically align with the act of re-identifying or validating something previously known.
She could barely recognise her childhood friend after 20 years.
The government refused to recognise the new political party.
His contributions to science were finally recognised with a Nobel Prize.
The software can recognise faces with high accuracy.
I didn’t recognise the song until the chorus started.