reconnaissance

noun

re·​con·​nais·​sance ri-ˈkä-nə-zən(t)s 

-sən(t)s

: a preliminary survey to gain information

especially : an exploratory military survey of enemy territory

Examples of reconnaissance in a Sentence

There are two helicopters available for reconnaissance.

They did a reconnaissance of the enemy's position.

Recent Examples on the Web

Under a two-year test program, Excalibur will study how such submarines can be employed in anti-submarine warfare, seabed warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. —New Atlas, 16 Aug. 2025

Ukraine’s armed forces also have been involved, and British personnel have led reconnaissance work inside Ukraine. —Lorne Cook, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2025

On Monday, Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were infiltrating areas near northwest of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region near where Russian forces likely have made advances, according to the Institute for the Study of War. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025

Many of its early deployments remain classified, but its work reportedly spanned counter-threat modeling, reconnaissance robotics and mission-critical intelligence systems. —The Guild Contributor, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, recognition, from Middle French reconoissance, from Old French reconoistre to recognize

First Known Use

1779, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

reconnaissance

noun

re·​con·​nais·​sance ri-ˈkän-ə-zən(t)s 

: a survey (as of enemy territory) to gain information