Standard Lemma guide

recollect

noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: rĕ-kə-lĕktʹ
  • UK: /ɹɛkəˈlɛkt/
  • US: rĕ-kə-lĕktʹ
  • US: /ɹɛkəˈlɛkt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛkt
  • UK: rē-kə-lĕktʹ
  • UK: /ɹiːkəˈlɛkt/
  • US: rē-kə-lĕktʹ
  • US: /ɹiːkəˈlɛkt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R EH2 K AH0 L EH1 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: R IY2 K AH0 L EH1 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A member of a French reform branch of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscans.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To recall; to collect one's thoughts again, especially about past events.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I remember the concert clearly, but I can't recollect why I had decided to go there.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To collect (things) together again.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To compose oneself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I can't remember saying any such thing
  • I can't think what her last name was
  • can you remember her phone number?
  • Do you remember that he once loved you?
  • call up memories

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: remember, retrieve, recall, call back, call up, think

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: know, recognize, recognise, review, brush up, refresh

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin recollectus (“remembered, composed”), from Latin recolligo (“gather again, recover”).

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English collect English recollect From re- + collect.

Across languages

Translations

55 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: recol·lecte — a member of a French reform branch of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscans
  • French: récollet — a member of a French reform branch of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscans
  • Arabic: تَذَكَّرَ (taḏakkara) — to recall past events
  • Bulgarian: спомням си (spomnjam si) — to recall past events
  • Catalan: recordar — to recall past events
  • Catalan: rememorar — to recall past events
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏅᏓᏗᏍᏗ (anvdadisdi) — to recall past events
  • Chinese Mandarin: 回憶 /回忆 (huíyì) — to recall past events
  • Chinese Mandarin: 追憶 /追忆 (zhuīyì) — to recall past events
  • Chinese Mandarin: 想起 (xiǎngqǐ) — to recall past events
  • Chinese Mandarin: 回想 (huíxiǎng) — to recall past events
  • Chinese Mandarin: 憶起 /忆起 (yìqǐ) — to recall past events
  • Danish: erindre — to recall past events
  • Dutch: zich herinneren — to recall past events
  • Esperanto: rememori — to recall past events
  • Finnish: muistella — to recall past events
  • Finnish: palauttaa mieleensä — to recall past events
  • French: se souvenir — to recall past events
  • French: se rappeler — to recall past events
  • Galician: amentar — to recall past events
  • Galician: lembrar — to recall past events
  • German: sich erinnern — to recall past events
  • German: sich entsinnen — to recall past events
  • German: gedenken — to recall past events
  • Gothic: 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌰𐌽 (gamunan) — to recall past events
  • Greek: αναπολώ (anapoló) — to recall past events
  • Ancient Greek: μιμνήσκομαι (mimnḗskomai) — to recall past events
  • Ancient Greek: μνημονεύω (mnēmoneúō) — to recall past events
  • Hungarian: emlékezik — to recall past events
  • Hungarian: emlékszik — to recall past events
  • Japanese: 思い出す (omoidasu) — to recall past events
  • Japanese: 思い起す (omoiokosu) — to recall past events
  • Japanese: 想起する (sōki suru) — to recall past events
  • Latin: meminī — to recall past events
  • Latin: recordor — to recall past events
  • Latin: teneo — to recall past events
  • Latin: reminiscor — to recall past events
  • Māori: mahara — to recall past events
  • Polish: wspominać — to recall past events
  • Polish: wspomnieć — to recall past events
  • Polish: przypominać sobie — to recall past events
  • Polish: przypomnieć sobie — to recall past events
  • Portuguese: recordar — to recall past events
  • Portuguese: lembrar — to recall past events
  • Russian: вспомина́ть (vspominátʹ) — to recall past events
  • Russian: вспо́мнить (vspómnitʹ) — to recall past events
  • Sanskrit: स्मरति (smárati) — to recall past events
  • Scottish Gaelic: cuimhnich — to recall past events
  • Scottish Gaelic: meòraich — to recall past events
  • Scottish Gaelic: bi cuimhne aig — to recall past events
  • Spanish: rebobinar — to recall past events
  • Swedish: erinra sig — to recall past events
  • Swedish: minnas — to recall past events
  • Swedish: dra sig till minnes — to recall past events
  • Swedish: komma ihåg — to recall past events