Past tense of cognize; became aware of or knew something through perception or mental awareness.
From 'cognize' (to know), derived from Latin 'cognoscere' (to know, to become acquainted with), combining 'co-' (together) and 'gnoscere' (to know). The word entered English in the 16th century from legal and philosophical contexts.
Cognize is the formal, fancy cousin of 'know'—philosophers and lawyers loved this word because it specifically means knowing something through direct experience or awareness rather than just believing it. You'll find it in courtrooms and philosophy papers much more than in everyday conversation!
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