recommendation

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The act of recommending.
• noun Something that recommends, especially a favorable statement concerning character or qualifications.
• noun Something, such as a course of action, that is recommended. synonym: advice.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun The act of recommending or of commending; the act of representing in a favorable manner for the purpose of procuring the notice, confidence, or civilities of another.
• noun That which procures a kind or favorable reception; any thing, quality, or attribute, which produces or tends to produce a favorable acceptance, reception, or adoption.
• noun Favor; repute.
• noun A letter of recommendation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun The act of recommending.
• noun That which recommends, or commends to favor; anything procuring, or tending to procure, a favorable reception, or to secure acceptance and adoption.
• noun rare The state of being recommended; esteem.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun An act of recommending
• noun That which is recommended
• noun A commendation or endorsement

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun something that recommends (or expresses commendation of) a person or thing as worthy or desirable
• noun something (as a course of action) that is recommended as advisable
• noun any quality or characteristic that gains a person a favorable reception or acceptance or admission