re·con·nais·sance also re·con·nois·sance 
(rĭ-kŏnə-səns, -zəns)
(rĭ-kŏnə-səns, -zəns)n.
An inspection or exploration of an area, especially one made to gather military information.
[French, from Old French reconoissance, recognition, from reconoistre, reconoiss-, to recognize; see RECOGNIZE.]