reconnoiter means an act or instance of reconnoitering. It carries an Arena rating of 1754, earned across 29 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, reconnoiter ranks #641 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #1,642 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,957 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #3,531 of 17,142 for Most Ingenious Words.
reconnoiter is pronounced /ˌɹɛkəˈnɔɪtə/.
Why “reconnoiter” is a great word
To make a preliminary, tactical survey of an area to gain strategic information. From the obsolete French spelling reconnoître (modern reconnaître), from Latin recognoscere ("to recognize, know again"), first attested in English circa 1707. Unlike 'scout,' which suggests a swift, general observation, or 'survey,' with its broader, civilian applications, reconnoiter implies a deliberate, purposeful scrutiny of terrain with specific aims. It is the cold, methodical scanning of a ridge line through field glasses, the silent tracing of a floorplan in hostile darkness, and the careful noting of fence lines from a concealed position—the quiet, knowing art of gathering the silence that precedes the storm.
Etymology
From French reconnoître (obsolete spelling of reconnaître), from Latin recognoscere (“to recognize”). Contrarily, there is also an obsolete 19th-century British English spelling reconnaitre (now reconnoitre).
noun
- An act or instance of reconnoitering.e.g.“The pilot reported the findings of his reconnoiter.”
verb
- To perform a reconnaissance (of an area; an enemy position); to scout with the aim of acquiring information.e.g.“Our scout will reconnoiter the path ahead of our troops.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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