reconnaissance

American  

[ri-kon-uh-suhns, -zuhns] / rɪˈkɒn ə səns, -zəns /

Or reconnoissance

noun

reconnaissances plural

1. the act of reconnoitering.

2. Military. a search made for useful military information in the field, especially by examining the ground.

3. Surveying, Civil Engineering. a general examination or survey of a region, usually followed by a detailed survey.

4. Geology. an examination or survey of the general geological characteristics of a region.

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reconnaissance British  

/ rɪˈkɒnɪsəns /

noun

1. the act of reconnoitring

2. the process of obtaining information about the position, activities, resources, etc, of an enemy or potential enemy

3. a preliminary inspection of an area of land before an engineering survey is made

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• reconnaissances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of reconnaissance

1800–10; < French; Middle French reconoissance recognizance

Explanation

Reconnaissance is checking out a situation before taking action. Often it’s used as a military term, but you could also do reconnaissance on a new employee before you hire her, or a resort before you take a vacation. Reconnaissance is a noun, and it technically means “the act of reconnoitering.” Whoa. Never heard that word before? Reconnoitering is just a fancy way of saying that you’re checking something out — sometimes in a sneaky way. If you like a girl in your Spanish class, you might ask a friend to do some reconnaissance to find out what she’s like. The word comes from the French reconnaître, which means “recognize.”

Example Sentences

Ukraine’s fighters are learning automation’s limits amid combat’s unpredictability, said a serviceman who is part of a team developing AI tools to analyze reconnaissance more quickly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Drone reconnaissance has become a part of anti-terror efforts in recent years, especially around high-profile targets.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

During this month, 10 flights were recorded, all by MQ-4C Triton drones used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

Drone countermeasure technologies have been used for detection, reconnaissance and combating unauthorised flights, she said.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

The men spread maps and reconnaissance photos of North Vietnam on the table.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• exploration
• surveillance