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Synonyms

recommendation

American  
[rek-uh-men-dey-shuhn, -muhn-] / ˌrɛk ə mɛnˈdeɪ ʃən, -mən- /

noun

recommendations plural
  1. an act of recommending.

  2. a letter or the like recommending a person or thing.

  3. representation in favor of a person or thing.

  4. anything that serves to recommend a person or thing, or induce acceptance or favor.


recommendation British  
/ ˌrɛkəmɛnˈdeɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act of recommending

  2. something that recommends, esp a letter presenting someone as suitable for a job, etc

  3. something that is recommended, such as a course of action

"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

Usage

Spelling tips for recommendation The word recommendation is hard to spell because it is tricky to know whether the c, the m, and/or the d is doubled. How to spell recommendation: The easiest way to remember how to spell recommend is to break it into three parts: re - com - mend - ation. You can keep the first three sections in mind with the sentence: "I recommend that you rely commonly on mending." The suffix -ation is used to indicate nouns of action and appears in many other words, like starvation and regulation.

Synonym Usage

See advice.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of recommendation

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English recommendacion, from Medieval Latin recommendātiōn-, stem of recommendātiō, from recommendāt(us) (past participle of recommendāre; see recommend) + -iō -ion

Explanation

If you give someone a recommendation, you're saying, "try this, it's good" or "this is the best way to proceed," or "this person will do a great job." The noun recommendation stems from the Middle Latin word recommend, meaning "praise" or "present as worthy." Policy makers have made a strong recommendation to implement renewable energy initiatives to alleviate our dependence on fossil fuels. It used to be that you carried a letter of recommendation from a prominent person and used it as an introduction to polite society in an unfamiliar place, but nowadays, such a letter simply explains why someone is qualified for a particular job or school.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing recommendation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Recommendation engines powered by AI — those that steer buyers on Amazon to products they might also like, for example.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2024

Recommendation algorithms are at the heart of many social media platforms—so it’s no surprise that companies want to keep them under wraps.

From Scientific American • Aug. 17, 2023

Recommendation algorithms could prioritize credible sources while limiting the visibility of unreliable content.

From Slate • Jul. 31, 2023

"Recommendation algorithms are designed to maximize the time that users will spend on the platform and their engagement, and unfortunately that type of content fits the bill," Stringhini said.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2023

Recommendation to the Commission of Parliament for Plantation of Kirks &c. in favours of the Synod of Argyl.

From The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

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