noun
- the act of reconnoitering.
- Military. a search made for useful military information in the field, especially by examining the ground.
- Surveying, Civil Engineering. a general examination or survey of a region, usually followed by a detailed survey.
- Geology. an examination or survey of the general geological characteristics of a region.
noun
- the act of reconnoitring
- the process of obtaining information about the position, activities, resources, etc, of an enemy or potential enemy
- a preliminary inspection of an area of land before an engineering survey is made
1810, from French reconnaissance “act of surveying,” literally “recognition,” from Old French reconoissance “recognition, acknowledgement” (see recognizance).