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

The company has also introduced the MAYHEM 10 platform, expanding into electronic warfare and reconnaissance roles. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026

In April 2025, two Swedish fighter jets under NATO command were scrambled over the Baltic Sea to escort away a Russian reconnaissance plane that was approaching Polish airspace. —CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026

Lamb commands 201 Squadron, which conducts maritime reconnaissance patrols using Poseidons. —Alan Crawford, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026

That could mean using drones to monitor a ship's movements, using intelligence to know a ship's origin or destination, using reconnaissance aircraft like the E-2 Hawkeye or helicopters that are launched from an aircraft carrier. —Luis Martinez, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026

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