acquisition English · revision 6687

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1387|origins=la quaero}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/ ''(UK)''; /ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/, /ˌæk.wəˈzɪʃ.ən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English adquisicioun, [[bor|xno|acquisition]] or directly [[bor|la|acquīsītio|t=an acquiring]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) a noun of action from [[m|la|acquīro|alt=acquīrere|t=to get in addition]] (see [[acquire]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[m|la|ad-|t=to]] and [[m|la|quaero|alt=quaerere|t=to seek]].^(Etymonline) The change of -ae- to -i- follows a Latin rule for unstressed syllables in compounds.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The act of obtaining: 1387 in the OED,^(OED 1989) before 1400 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A thing obtained or gained is from the late 15th century, 1477 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A welcome addition to a group, such as a new player or a work bought by a museum, follows.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) The takeover of one company by another is a modern business sense,^(Collins 2023) and the locating of a target by radar is from 1958.^(OED 1989) [[acquisitive|alt=Acquisitive]] is from 1637.^(Barnhart 1988) In linguistics, ''language acquisition'' is the learning of a language.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1387 – the act of obtaining.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1477 – a thing acquired.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1637 – acquisitive.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1958 – locating a target by radar.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of [[acquire|alt=acquiring]] something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something acquired, especially a valuable addition to a collection or group.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The purchase of one company by another; a [[takeover]].^(Collins 2023)

+ # The process of locating a target or satellite so as to track it.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[acquisitional]]

+ * [[acquisitor]]

+ * [[preacquisition]]

+ * [[reacquisition]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[acquire]]

+ * [[acquisitive]]

+ * [[inquisition]]

+ * [[question]]

+ * [[require]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}