connoistre

Connoistre is an archaic or historical spelling of the French verb connaître, meaning to know, be acquainted with, or recognize. It is found mainly in Old French and in some Early Modern French texts. By the later periods, the modern spelling connaître largely replaced connoistre in standard usage.

Etymology and form. The verb originates from Latin cognoscere and entered Old French in variants that included connoistre. The spelling reflects medieval pronunciation and orthographic practices, and it illustrates how the same verb could appear with different spellings before standardization of French spelling. Connoistre thus represents a transitional form in the evolution from Latin roots to the modern connaître.

Usage and status. In contemporary French, the form connoistre is not used in everyday language and is generally encountered only in linguistic discussions, historical editions, or studies of medieval texts. The meanings align with connaître—to know, to be aware of, or to be familiar with a person or thing—but the modern standard spelling is always connaître.

Related terms. The modern verb connaître gives rise to related forms and nouns in French, and the English word connoisseur (or connaisseur) derives from the same root, reflecting a person who knows or is skilled in a domain. Connoistre thus stands as an historical variant within the broader lineage of the connaître family of words.