acquaintance
UK: əˈkweɪntəns | US: əˈkweɪntəns
n. a person one knows slightly but not as a close friend
n. knowledge or experience of something
n. the state of being familiar with someone or something
acquaint<make known> + ance<noun suffix>
- acquaint: Derived from Old French acointier ("make known"), from Latin accognitare (frequentative of accognoscere, "to know thoroughly"), combining ad- (toward) + cognoscere (to know).
- ance: A noun-forming suffix from Latin -antia, indicating a state or quality (e.g., "importance," "resistance").
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin cognoscere ("to know"), which also gives us "recognize" and "cognition." The prefix ad- (toward) merged into ac- in Old French, emphasizing the act of making someone known. Over time, acquaint evolved into acquaintance in Middle English, shifting from the action of knowing to the state or person representing that knowledge. The suffix -ance solidifies its role as a noun, capturing the abstract or relational aspect of familiarity.
She’s an old acquaintance from college.
He has some acquaintance with French literature.
I made his acquaintance at a conference last year.
Their acquaintance grew into a strong friendship.
The book assumes a basic acquaintance with scientific terms.