recognizance

noun

re·​cog·​ni·​zance ri-ˈkäg-nə-zən(t)s 

-ˈkä-nə-

1

a

: an obligation of record entered into before a court or magistrate requiring the performance of an act (such as appearance in court) usually under penalty of a money forfeiture

released on his own recognizance

b

: the sum liable to forfeiture upon such an obligation

2

archaic : token, pledge

Examples of recognizance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

He was served a notice to appear before the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review and placed into removal proceedings, then released the same day on an order of recognizance, the agency said. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

The man was released from jail a few days after his arrest on a $1,500 personal recognizance bond while his case is pending, court records show. —Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025

Among the attendees was Nick Sortor, who was arrested outside an ICE facility in Portland last week and later released on his own recognizance. —Brett Samuels, The Hill, 8 Oct. 2025

Cruz was taken into custody via a private person's arrest and booked on a misdemeanor battery charge before being released on his own recognizance that afternoon. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English recognissance, alteration of reconissaunce, from Anglo-French, from reconoistre to recognize

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing recognizance

• on someone's own recognizance

Kids Definition

recognizance

noun

re·​cog·​ni·​zance ri-ˈkäg-nə-zən(t)s 

-ˈkän-ə-

: a recorded legal promise to do something (as to appear in court)

Legal Definition

recognizance

noun

re·​cog·​ni·​zance ri-ˈkäg-nə-zəns 

1

: an obligation entered into on the record before a court or magistrate requiring the performance of an act (as the paying of a debt) usually under penalty of a money forfeiture

also : the sum liable to forfeiture

2

: a simple personal obligation or undertaking (as to appear in court) entered into before a magistrate and having no money penalty attached

released on his own recognizance

Etymology

Anglo-French recognisance, reconisance, literally, recognition, from Old French reconoisance, from reconoistre to recognize, from Latin recognoscere