Word
recollection
Phoneticsrec·ol·lec·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɹɛkəˈɫɛkʃən/
UK/ɹɪkəlˈɛkʃən/
Definitions
01the act of remembering
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the act of remembering something from the past.
n. the cognitive act or process of recalling information or events to the mind.
“To the best of my recollection, we never discussed that specific price.”
“The witness's recollection of the events was clouded by the passage of time and the stress of the situation.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02a specific memory
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a specific memory of something that happened.
n. a specific instance of something recalled to the mind; a reminiscence.
“She shared a vivid recollection of her first day at primary school.”
“His memoirs are filled with fond recollections of the summers he spent in the countryside during his youth.”
Synonyms
03spiritual concentration
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Religion Formal · Technical
n. a state of quiet focus or a short religious retreat.
n. the act of concentrating the mind, particularly in a spiritual or meditative context; often refers to a short religious retreat.
“The monks spent the afternoon in silent recollection.”
“The weekend was designed as a period of spiritual recollection, allowing participants to detach from worldly concerns through guided meditation.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04collecting again
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Technical
n. the act of gathering things together again.
n. the process of collecting items or materials again after they have been dispersed.
“The recollection of the chemical waste took several weeks to complete.”
“Efficient recollection of recyclable materials is a cornerstone of the city's new environmental sustainability initiative.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage
Often used in the singular with the definite article ('the') or a possessive pronoun ('my').
Pitfall
I don't have any recollections about that
I have no recollection of that
In the sense of 'remembering', the word is typically uncountable and paired with 'of' rather than 'about'.
Real-World Examples
“Gartshore maintained that she has no recollection of using the hairdryer on her baby.” “In the screen version, he highlights the disparity that exists between separate recollections of identical events.” Etymology
Via French récollection or the verb recollect, both from Latin recollectus, the past participle of recolligere (“to collect again”), itself from re- + colligere (“to gather”).
From re- + collection.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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