recollection
/ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən/noun
recollection is spelled R-E-C-O-L-L-E-C-T-I-O-N: 12 letters and 4 syllables. It appears 1.9 times per million words in written English, the 20,101st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, recollection means “The act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the act of recalling to memory” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of recollection is recollections.
How many letters and syllables are in recollection?
| Letters | 12: R-E-C-O-L-L-E-C-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.9 times per million words; the 20,101st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is recollection?
Recollection appears 1.9 times per million words in written English, the 20,101st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce recollection?
- /ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən/
As a noun (“Process of collecting again”): /ɹiˌkəˈlɛkʃən/.
Recollection has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-recollection.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of recollection
- recollections plural
- re-collection
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does recollection mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the act of recalling to memory.
- 2
The power of recalling ideas to the mind, or the period within which things can be recollected; remembrance.
Alas that distant event isn't within my recollection anymore.
- 3
That which is recollected; something called to mind; a reminiscence.
One of his earliest recollections.
- 4
archaicThe act or practice of collecting or concentrating the mind; concentration; self-control.
From such an education Charles contracted habits of gravity and recollection.
- 5
A spiritual retreat, especially one that is short.
- 6
Process of collecting again.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Recollection in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | souvenir |
| German | Erinnerung, Rückbesinnung |
| Portuguese | recordação , memória, recordações |
| Spanish | recordación |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does recollection come from?
Via French récollection or the verb recollect, both from Latin recollectus, the past participle of recolligere (“to collect again”), itself from re- + colligere (“to gather”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).