acquérir

Forms

acquérir^[1] Old French aquerre, acquerre; the form acquerir appears in 1370.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French aquerre, inherited from Vulgar Latin *acquaerō, a form remade from Latin acquīrō (“to get in addition, acquire”) on the simple verb quaerō (“to seek”).^[2][4][5][6] The Latin sense “to obtain in addition” led to “to increase”, which became a legal term.^[4] In the 14th century the Old French verb changed its conjugation on the model of querre and quérir, which gave the modern form.^[2][5][7]

Littré compares Old Occitan acquirir.^[8] Compare conquérir, from the same Latin verb.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record, in the Prise d'Orange (1148), uses aquerre of persons: “to fetch, win over”.^[2] By about 1174 it was used of goods, “to obtain land, wealth, food”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Old French gave it many senses, of which only the commercial and legal “to obtain, become owner of” and some figurative uses survive.^[4] Of acquired skills and knowledge it is found from the 15th century.^[4] The verb has stayed rather literary or technical.^[4]

Among its derivatives, acquéreur dates from 1385, and the past participle acquis became a noun “something acquired” in 1546.^[4][5] Être acquis à quelqu'un “to be devoted to someone” dates from 1610.^[4]

Timeline

• 1148 – Aquerre in the Prise d'Orange.^[2]
• c. 1174 – Used of obtaining goods.^[2]
• 1370 – Acquerir in Oresme.^[2]
• 1385 – The derivative acquéreur.^[4][5]
• 1546 – Acquis as a noun.^[4]
• 1762 – The Académie first writes the acute accent.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To acquire, become the owner of property by purchase, exchange or inheritance: acquérir une maison.^[9][8]
2. To gain or obtain something useful, often by effort: acquérir de l'expérience.^[9][7]
3. (reflexive) S'acquérir: to win something for oneself, such as esteem or support.^[9][1]

Word family

• acquéreur
• acquis

Related words

• acquisitif
• acquisition
• acquêt
• quérir
• conquérir

Usage notes

The proverb bien mal acquis ne profite jamais means that ill-gotten gains never prosper.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 110a
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert