Meaning

verb accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority

verb be fully aware or cognizant of

verb detect with the senses

originBorrowed from Middle French reconoistre, from Old French reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, first attested in the 16th century. Displaced native English acknow (“to recognize, perceive as”), compare German erkennen and Swedish erkänna. Latin had rare recognizare (“to try by jury”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0