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acquainted

[uh-kweyn-tid]
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adjective
  1. having personal knowledge as a result of study, experience, etc.; informed (usually followed by with): to be acquainted with law.
  2. brought into social contact; made familiar: people acquainted through mutual friends.
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Origin of acquainted

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at acquaint, -ed2
Related formsac·quaint·ed·ness, nounhalf-ac·quaint·ed, adjectivequa·si-ac·quaint·ed, adjectiveun·ac·quaint·ed, adjectivewell-ac·quaint·ed, adjective

acquaint

[uh-kweynt]
verb (used with object)
  1. to make more or less familiar, aware, or conversant (usually followed by with): to acquaint the mayor with our plan.
  2. to furnish with knowledge; inform (usually followed by with): to acquaint the manager with one's findings.
  3. to bring into social contact; introduce (usually followed by with): She acquainted her roommate with my cousin.
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Origin of acquaint

1250–1300; Middle English aqueinten, acointen < Anglo-French acointer, Old French acoint(i)er, verbal derivative of acointe familiar, known < Latin accognitus, past participle of accognōscere to recognize, equivalent to ac- ac- + co- co- + gni- know1 + -tus past participle suffix
Related formspre·ac·quaint, verb (used with object)re·ac·quaint, verb (used with object)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for acquainted

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Philippe acquainted her with the joys and griefs of his difficult profession.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • "I must make you acquainted with my wife and children," he said.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • He was acquainted with the women of society, and with the women who only wished to be in society.

    Malbone

    Thomas Wentworth Higginson

  • I have been acquainted with her character and actions for several years.

  • Your reading makes you a stranger to nothing but what you should be most acquainted with.

    Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)

    Samuel Richardson

British Dictionary definitions for acquainted

acquainted

adjective (postpositive)
  1. (sometimes foll by with) on terms of familiarity but not intimacy
  2. (foll by with) having knowledge or experience (of); familiar (with)
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acquaint

verb (tr)
  1. (foll by with or of) to make (a person) familiar or conversant (with); inform (of)
  2. (foll by with) mainly US to introduce (to); bring into contact (with)
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Word Origin

C13: via Old French and Medieval Latin from Latin accognitus, from accognōscere to know perfectly, from ad- (intensive) + cognōscere to know
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for acquainted

adj.

early 13c., "personally known;" past participle adjective from acquaint (v.). Of skills, situations, etc., from late 15c.

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acquaint

v.

early 13c., from Old French acointier "make known, make acquaintance of," from Vulgar Latin accognitare "to make known," from Latin accognitus "acquainted with," past participle of accognoscere "know well," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + cognitus, past participle of cogniscere "come to know," from com- "with" (see com-) + gnoscere "know" (see notice). Originally reflective, "to make oneself known;" sense of "to gain for oneself personal knowledge of" is from early 14c. Related: Acquainted; acquainting.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper