n.
Pronunciation: ' käg-n ə -z ə n(t)s
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English conisaunce, from Anglo-French conissance, from conoistre to know, from Latin cognoscere
Date: 14th century
1 : a distinguishing mark or emblem (as a heraldic bearing)
2 a : KNOWLEDGE , AWARENESS <had no cognizance of the situation> b : NOTICE , ACKNOWLEDGMENT <take cognizance of their achievement>
3 : JURISDICTION , RESPONSIBILITY