self-recognition

noun

self-rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌself-ˌre-kig-ˈni-shən 

-kəg-

1

: recognition of one's own self

2

: the process by which the immune system of an organism distinguishes between the body's own chemicals, cells, and tissues and those of foreign organisms and agents

Examples of self-recognition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Happy gained recognition for passing the mirror self-recognition test, a feat that highlighted her advanced self-awareness. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

She is driven by a commitment to creating hopeful, transformative representations of Native life, especially for youth, offering characters and stories that reflect strength, possibility and self-recognition. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026

According to a new study published in PLOS One, both animals show the behavioral hallmarks of mirror self-recognition—a cognitive ability long considered a marker of self-awareness, and one that had never before been documented in beluga whales. — Federica Sgorbissa, ArsTechnica, 24 May 2026

Research from Frontiers in Neurology and Neuroscience links susceptibility to contagious yawning with theory of mind, self-recognition and activation of brain regions associated with social cognition and empathy. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for self-recognition

• academician
• cycloaddition
• decomposition
• diagnostician
• disinhibition
• indisposition
• interposition
• juxtaposition
• mathematician
• metacognition
• metaphysician
• neurotransmission

Medical Definition

self-recognition

noun

self-rec·​og·​ni·​tion -ˌrek-əg-ˈnish-ən 

: the process by which the immune system of an organism distinguishes between the body's own chemicals, cells, and tissues and those of foreign organisms or agents compare self-tolerance