acquire English · revision 7585

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1435|origins=la acquiro}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈkwaɪə/ ''(UK)''; /əˈkwaɪɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English acqueren (1450), [[bor|fro|aquerre|t=to acquire, gain]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Vulgar Latin *acquaerere,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a recomposition of Latin [[m|la|acquiro|alt=acquīrere|t=to get in addition]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from ad-, to, and [[m|la|quaero|alt=quaerere|t=to seek]] (see [[query]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) The spelling was latinized to acquire about 1600.^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To gain or get as one's own: about 1435 in the OED, the mid-15th century in Etymonline;^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) in the form acquire, 1601, in Shakespeare's ''All's Well That Ends Well''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Word Origins cites the change of acquere to acquire as one of many respellings around 1600 meant to bring words closer to their Latin originals.^(Cresswell 2021) To come into possession of without reference to the manner is from 1613.^(OED 1989) It was formerly confused with enquire and require.^(OED 1989) Of radar, to begin receiving signals from a target, is from 1962.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1435 – to gain as one's own.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1450 – acqueren.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1601 – acquire.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1613 – to come into possession of.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1962 – of radar.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To come to have; to [[gain]] possession of.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To get by one's own efforts, as a skill or [[habit]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To locate a target, such as a satellite, with [[radar]] or another detector.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[acquirable]]

+ * [[acquirer]]

+ * [[acquirability]]

+ * [[acquiree]]

+ * [[preacquire]]

+ * [[reacquire]]

+ * [[acquired taste]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[acquisition]]

+ * [[acquirement]]

+ * [[acquisitive]]

+ * [[query]]

+ * [[quest]]

+ * [[question]]

+ * [[require]]

+ * [[inquire]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}