cognizance

or cog·ni·sance

[ kog-nuh-zuhns, kon-uh- ]

See synonyms for: cognizance cognizances on Thesaurus.com

noun

awareness, realization, or knowledge; notice; perception: The guests took cognizance of the snide remark.
Law.
- judicial notice as taken by a court in dealing with a cause.
- the right of taking jurisdiction, as possessed by a court.
- acknowledgment; admission, as a plea admitting the fact alleged in the declaration.

the range or scope of knowledge, observation, etc.: Such understanding is beyond his cognizance.
Heraldry. a device by which a person or a person's servants or property can be recognized; badge.

Origin of cognizance

1250–1300; Middle English conisa(u)nce<Middle French con(o)is(s)ance, equivalent to conois(tre) to know (<Latin cognōscere;see cognition) + -ance-ance; forms with -g- (<Latin ) from the 16th century

Other words for cognizance

1	note, heed, attention, regard, scrutiny

See synonyms for cognizance on Thesaurus.com

Other words from cognizance

non·cog·ni·zance, noun
self-cog·ni·zance, noun

Words Nearby cognizance

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cognizance in a sentence

In our chat, the company joked that its culture is to move quickly, but with the cognizance that they aren’t curing cancer.
Why I’m hitting pause on ARR-focused coverage | Alex Wilhelm | March 12, 2021 | TechCrunch
He did not seem to take cognizance of the fact that we had a two weeks' board-bill to pay before we should get that far.
Ways of War and Peace | Delia Austrian
All that we know is that they existed from the remotest period of which we have cognizance, long before the pyramids were built.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume II | John Lord
Hesitatingly she came forward, and Houston's dulled mentality at last took cognizance that a hand was extended slightly.
The White Desert | Courtney Ryley Cooper
Wherefore he prays judgment whether this court can or will take further cognizance of the action aforesaid.
Key-Notes of American Liberty | Various

But there are wrongs which are not punishable by the law, being too small and undefinable for its cognizance.
Reflections on the Operation of the Present System of Education, 1853 | Christopher C. Andrews

British Dictionary definitions for cognizance

cognizance

cognisance

/ (ˈkɒɡnɪzəns, ˈkɒnɪ-) /

noun

knowledge; acknowledgment
take cognizance of to take notice of; acknowledge, esp officially

the range or scope of knowledge or perception
law
- the right of a court to hear and determine a cause or matter
- knowledge of certain facts upon which the court must act without requiring proof
- mainly US confession
heraldry a distinguishing badge or bearing

Origin of cognizance

C14: from Old French conoissance, from conoistre to know, from Latin cognōscere to learn; see cognition

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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