# acknowledge

> English word · Verb · IPA /əkˈnɒl.ɪd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #5,287

## Definitions
1. To admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in.
2. To own or recognize in a particular quality, character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to.
3. To be grateful of (e.g. a benefit or a favour)
4. To report (the receipt of a message to its sender).
5. To own as genuine or valid; to assent to (a legal instrument) to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form.

## Etymology
Recorded since 1553, a blend of Middle English aknowen (“to recognize, acknowledge”) and knowlechen (“to discover, reveal, acknowledge”). The former verb is from Old English oncnāwan, ācnāwan (“to know, recognize, acknowledge”), from on + cnāwan (“to know”). The latter is derived from the noun at hand in knowledge. For the formation compare Latin agnōscō and Russian призна́ть (priznátʹ), with cognate roots.
The /k/-sound was preserved by being redistributed to the preceding syllable: /əˈkn-/ > /əkˈn-/. The -c- was inserted accordingly to reflect this pronunciation more clearly.

## Common misspellings (17)
`accknowledge`, `ackknowledge`, `acknnowledge`, `acknolwedge`, `acknoweldge`, `acknowldege`, `acknowleddge`, `acknowledeg`, `acknowledgge`, `acknowlegde`, `acknowlledge`, `acknowwledge`, `acknwoledge`, `ackonwledge`, `acnkowledge`, `akcnowledge`, `caknowledge`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/acknowledge