cog ‧ ni ‧ zance BrE AmE , cognisance /ˈkɒɡnəz ə ns, ˈkɒɡnɪz ə ns $ ˈkɑːɡ-/ noun [uncountable] formal
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: conoissance , from conoistre 'to know' , from Latin cognoscere ; ⇨ ↑ cognition ]
1 . knowledge or understanding of something
2 . take cognizance of something to understand something and consider it when you take action or make a decision