rec·og·nize 
(rĕkəg-nīz′)
(rĕkəg-nīz′)tr.v. rec·og·nized, rec·og·niz·ing, rec·og·niz·es
1. To know to be something that has been perceived before: recognize a face.
2. To know or identify from past experience or knowledge: recognize hostility.
3. To perceive or show acceptance of the validity or reality of: recognizes the concerns of the tenants.
4. To permit to address a meeting: The club's president recognized the new member.
5. To accept officially the national status of as a new government.
6. To show awareness of; approve of or appreciate: recognize services rendered.
7. To admit the acquaintance of, as by salutation: recognize an old friend with a cheerful greeting.
8. Law To enter into a recognizance.
9. Biology To exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate, for example).
[Middle English recognisen, to resume possession of land, alteration (influenced by Medieval Latin recognizāre, to recognize) of Old French reconoistre, reconoiss-, to know again, from Latin recognōscere : re-, re- + cognōscere, to get to know; see gnō- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
recog·niz′a·ble adj.
recog·niz′a·bly adv.
recog·niz′er n.