reconnoitre

Alternative forms

• (US) reconnoiter

Etymology

From French reconnoître (obsolete spelling of reconnaître), from Latin recognoscere (“to recognise”). There is also an obsolete 19th-century British English spelling reconnaitre, influenced by the modern French form.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌɹɛkəˈnɔɪtə/, [ˌɹʷɛkəˈnɔɪ̯tʰə]
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɹɛkəˈnɔɪtɚ/, [ˌɹˠɛkəˈnɔɪ̯ɾɚ]

• Audio (US)

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Verb

reconnoitre (third-person singular simple present reconnoitres, present participle reconnoitring, simple past and past participle reconnoitred)

1. (transitive, intransitive, military) To perform a reconnaissance (of an area; an enemy position); to scout with the aim of gaining information.

   Our scout will reconnoitre the path ahead of our troops.

2. (obsolete) To recognise.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir H. Walpole to this entry?)

Noun

reconnoitre (plural reconnoitres)

1. An act or instance of reconnoitring.

   The pilot reported the findings of his reconnoitre.

Anagrams

• reconnoiter