acquire
[ uh-kwahyuhr ]
/ əˈkwaɪər /
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verb (used with object), ac·quired, ac·quir·ing.
to come into possession or ownership of; get as one's own: to acquire property.
to gain for oneself through one's actions or efforts: to acquire learning.
Linguistics. to achieve native or nativelike command of (a language or a linguistic rule or element).
Military. to locate and track (a moving target) with a detector, as radar.
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Origin of acquire
1400–50; from Latin acquīrere “to add to one's possessions, acquire” (ac- ac- + -quīrere, combining form of quaerere “to search for, obtain”); replacing late Middle English aquere from Middle French aquerre from Latin
synonym study for acquire
1. See get.
OTHER WORDS FROM acquire
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use acquire in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for acquire
acquire
/ (əˈkwaɪə) /
verb
(tr) to get or gain (something, such as an object, trait, or ability), esp more or less permanently
Derived forms of acquire
acquirable, adjectiveacquirement, nounacquirer, nounWord Origin for acquire
C15: via Old French from Latin acquīrere, from ad- in addition + quaerere to get, seek
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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