VocabauraVOCABAURA

reconnaissance

noun

Simple meaning

The act of reconnoitring.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

reekahnuhsuhns

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ɹiˈkɑnəsəns

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. The act of reconnoitring (especially to gain information about an enemy or potential enemy)

    “An exchange of fire occurred on a reconnaissance mission.”

  2. The act of scouting or exploring (especially military or medical) to gain information.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C1 · Advanced (estimated)
Frequency
Uncommon
Typical Use
Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

This meaning: The act of reconnoitring (especially to gain information about an enemy or potential enemy)

Used this way, reconnaissance is a common word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Heard in a sentence
“An exchange of fire occurred on a reconnaissance mission.”
Emotional tone
Slightly negative
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Moderate
How common
Common
Connotation
Critical or judgemental
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use reconnaissance

  • “An exchange of fire occurred on a reconnaissance mission.”noun

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “reconnaissance”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

aerial reconnaissanceair reconnaissancereconnaissance missionreconnaissance planereconnaissance aircraftphotographic reconnaissancereconnaissance surveymilitary reconnaissance

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • reconnaissance by firenounCompound term

    A method of reconnaissance in which fire is placed on a suspected enemy position in order to cause the enemy to disclose his presence by moving or returning fire.

  • reconnaissance missionnounCompound term

    The act of reconnoitring (especially to gain information about an enemy or potential enemy).

  • reconnaissance planenounCompound term

    A military airplane used to gain information about an enemy.

  • reconnaissance vehiclenounCompound term

    Fast armored military vehicle with four-wheel drive and open top.

  • air reconnaissancenounCompound term

    Reconnaissance either by visual observation from the air or through the use of airborne sensors.

  • electronic reconnaissancenounCompound term

    The detection and identification and evaluation and location of foreign electromagnetic radiations (other than radioactive).

Use This Word

See how this word sounds in a real sentence.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “reconnaissance” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Know the meaning? Practice using it in a real situation, free, no credits.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.