cognizance

IPA/ˈkɒɡnɪzəns/
KK[kˈɑɡnəzəns]IPA/ˈkɑːɡnɪzəns/

cognizance — noun

1. the state of being aware of or having knowledge about a fact, situation, or acti

1.nounC2
Definition

the state of being aware of or having knowledge about a fact, situation, or activity.

Example

The villagers had no cognizance of the storm warning until the river started rising.

cognizance of + noun phrase

Soraya joined the meeting without any cognizance of the budget cuts discussed earlier.

without cognizance of

Common collocations
  • full cognizance of
  • with cognizance of
  • without cognizance of
Synonyms
  • awareness

    everyday equivalent; far more common in spoken English

  • knowledge

    broader; includes facts learned, not just noticed

  • consciousness

    emphasises the mental state of noticing; less about official knowing

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

cognizance of [something]

have cognizance of

Usage Note

Frequently used in legal, official, or academic writing; replace with 'awareness' or 'knowledge' in everyday English.

Common Mistakes

I have cognizance about the problem.
I have cognizance of the problem.
cognizance is followed by 'of', not 'about'.

2. the act of formally noticing or considering a matter, especially by a court, off

2.nounC2
Definition

the act of formally noticing or considering a matter, especially by a court, official body, or person in authority when judging it.

Example

The judge took cognizance of the new evidence before sentencing the defendant.

take cognizance of (legal use)

The school board must take cognizance of the parents' complaints at the next meeting.

take cognizance of + grievance

Common collocations
  • take cognizance of
  • judicial cognizance
Synonyms
  • notice

    as in 'take notice of'; less formal and less weighty

  • consideration

    broader; covers any careful thought, not only by authorities

  • acknowledgment

    stresses public recognition rather than the act of weighing

Antonyms
  • disregard

    deliberate refusal to consider something

  • neglect

    failure to give due attention

Grammar Patterns

take cognizance of [something]

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'take cognizance of'; distinguish from sense 1 by the active step of formally weighing something, not merely knowing about it.

Common Mistakes

The court got cognizance of the case.
The court took cognizance of the case.
the verb is 'take', not 'get' or 'have'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four nouns describe a person knowing that something is the case, but they differ sharply in register and reach. 'Awareness' is the everyday word — used in conversation, signs, and news ('public awareness of the issue'). 'Knowledge' is broader and covers facts a person has learned and can recall, not only things noticed at the moment. 'Consciousness' leans toward the mental state of being alert to something, often a feeling or social condition ('class consciousness'). 'Cognizance' is the formal, often legal or official-document choice; outside such writing it sounds stiff. Compare: a friend says 'I wasn't aware of the meeting'; a court ruling says 'the panel had no cognizance of the prior filing'.

cognizance ↗awareness ↗knowledge ↗consciousness ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • judicial cognizance

Phrases

  • take cognizance of
  • full cognizance of
  • with cognizance of
  • without cognizance of

Prepositions

  • cognizance of

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Borrowed into English in the 14th century from Old French 'conoissance' meaning 'knowledge' or 'recognition', which came from Latin 'cognoscere' — a compound of 'co-' (together, fully) and 'gnoscere' (to come to know). The modern legal use ('take cognizance of') preserves the older sense of a court formally coming to know a matter, while the general 'awareness' meaning stayed close to the Latin root.