acquired
UK: əˈkwaɪəd | US: əˈkwaɪərd
adj. gained or obtained through effort or experience
vt. past tense of "acquire" (to gain possession or skill)
acquired = ac<to, toward> + quir<seek> + ed<past participle suffix>
- ac (prefix): from Latin ad-, meaning "to" or "toward."
- quir (root): from Latin quaerere, meaning "to seek" or "to obtain."
- ed (suffix): past participle marker in English, indicating completed action.
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin acquirere (to add to one's possessions), combining ad- (intensifying direction) and quaerere (to seek). Over time, it evolved into Old French aquerre and Middle English acquiren, retaining the core idea of "gaining through effort." The modern spelling reflects standardization in Early Modern English.
She acquired fluency in Spanish after living abroad for years.
The museum recently acquired a rare painting from the 17th century.
His acquired knowledge of coding helped him land the job.
The company acquired three startups last year.
Bad habits are easily acquired but hard to break.