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reconnaissance

rih-KON-uh-suhns /rɪˈkɒnɪsəns/

nounC1GREIELTS

militarytechnicalaviation

Military observation of a region to locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features.

Specifically implies gathering information about an enemy's strength, position, or the terrain before taking action.

The story behind the word. The word entered English from French in the early 19th century. It is closely related to 'recognize'—the goal of a reconnaissance mission is literally to 're-know' or identify the features of the land and the enemy.

Word relationships

scouting: Scouting is a more informal, general term, while reconnaissance is highly organized and systematic.
surveillance: Surveillance is continuous, passive monitoring of a target, whereas reconnaissance is an active, exploratory mission.

blindness: Blindness is the complete lack of information or awareness of the enemy's state.

Commonly confused with

recon: Recon is simply the informal, military slang abbreviation of reconnaissance.

Word family

reconnoiter (verb): Make a military observation of a region.

Collocations

reconnaissance mission
aerial reconnaissance
reconnaissance patrol
conduct reconnaissance

Example sentences

"Drones were sent ahead of the convoy to conduct reconnaissance and scan for potential ambushes." A modern military operation.
"The cavalry was primarily used for reconnaissance, scouting the roads and reporting on the enemy's movements." A classic historical citation.

Memory hook

Think of 'reconnaissance' as 're-cognizing' the science of the terrain before you march. Reconnaissance is 'recognizing' the enemy's stance.

When not to use

Do not use for general academic research or casual looking around; it implies a focused, tactical, or strategic scouting mission.

Fun facts

In the early days of aviation during World War I, airplanes were used almost exclusively for reconnaissance rather than combat.