reconnoiter

Reconnoiter is a verb meaning to conduct a preliminary inspection or survey of a place, area, or situation to gather information, often in order to support planning or decision-making. The activity typically involves visual observation and recording of relevant features such as terrain, routes, obstacles, or potential threats. While most commonly associated with military planning, reconnoitering can also occur in civilian contexts, including exploration, emergency response, journalism, and site surveying.

It derives from the French reconnoître, meaning to recognize or to discover. English spellings include reconnoiter (American English) and reconnoitre (British English); the associated noun is reconnaissance, the process or result of gathering information through reconnaissance. The term has historical prominence in military operations, where scouts or patrols reconnoiter prospective theaters of operation, enemy positions, and lines of communication.

Modern practice may employ equipped observers, drones, satellites, or other sensors to supplement direct observation. The goal is to obtain timely, actionable information while minimizing exposure to danger. In nonmilitary usage, reconnoitering may describe a measured inspection of a site for planning, risk assessment, or investigative reporting. The verb is typically transitive: reconnoiter a route, a position, or a site; and its participial form is reconnoitering.