Awareness, knowledge, or notice of something; legal jurisdiction or acknowledgment.
From Old French cognissance, derived from Latin cognoscere meaning 'to know.' The word evolved through Middle English and carries both philosophical (knowing) and legal (jurisdiction) meanings.
In medieval law, taking cognizance meant you officially acknowledged you were responsible for something—it's why judges still use this term to say 'I'm aware of this case.'
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.