recognition

Name: recognition, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/

//ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“recognition” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,192 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,192
frequency rank, English: 11
letters: 17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of recognizing or the condition of being recognized (matching a current observation with a memory of a prior observation of the same entity).

Key facts for recognition
Property	Value
Headword	recognition
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/
Letters	11
Frequency rank	#3,192
Misspellings tracked	17
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “recognition” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). recognition lands here:

#3,192

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for recognition is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,192 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for recognition, with forms such as "ercognition", "rceognition", and "reccognition". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English recognicion, from Middle French recognicion, recognition and its etymon Latin recognitiōnem (accusative of recognitiō), from recognitus, past participle of recognōscere. The correct English form is recognition, spelled R-E-C-O-G-N-I-T-I-O-N.

Definition

1
The act of recognizing or the condition of being recognized (matching a current observation with a memory of a prior observation of the same entity).
2
Acceptance as valid or true.
3
Official acceptance of the status of a new government by that of another country.
4
Honour, favourable note, or attention.
5
The propriety consisting for antibodies to bind to some specific antigens and not to others.
6
A return of the feu to the superior.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English recognicion, from Middle French recognicion, recognition and its etymon Latin recognitiōnem (accusative of recognitiō), from recognitus, past participle of recognōscere.

This word in other languages

reconocimiento(Español)reconnaissance(Français)Erkennen(Deutsch)reconhecimento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ercognition,rceognition,reccognition,recgonition,recoggnition,recogintion,recogniiton,recognision,recognitino,recognitionn,recognitoin,recognittion,recognnition,recogntiion,recongition,reocgnition,rrecognition

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of recognition - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "recognition"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "recognition"?

"recognition" is spelled R-E-C-O-G-N-I-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/.

What does "recognition" mean?

As a noun, "recognition" means: The act of recognizing or the condition of being recognized (matching a current observation with a memory of a prior observation of the same entity).

What are common misspellings of "recognition"?

Common misspellings include "ercognition", "rceognition", "reccognition", "recgonition", "recoggnition". The correct spelling is "recognition".

How do you pronounce "recognition"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recognition" is /ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "recognition"?

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “recognition”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is R-E-C-O-G-N-I-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.