acquaint

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈkweɪnt/ UK /əˈkweɪnt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to make familiar with or aware of something

Let me acquaint you with the rules before we begin.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make familiar with or... familiarize inform apprise notify brief enlighten

Word family

Forms unacquainted

Derived forms acquaintanceacquainted

Related forms acquaintance quaint

Simplified etymology

Acquaint entered Middle English and belongs to a family rooted in Latin cognoscere, meaning “to know.” It literally means “to make known to.”

Etymology

From Old French acointier ('to make known'), from Vulgar Latin accognitāre, from Latin accognōscere ('to know well'), from ad- ('to') + cognōscere ('to know'), from com- + (g)nōscere ('to know').

accognōscere Latin cognōscere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# acquaint

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈkweɪnt/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈkweɪnt/

## Meanings
1. to make familiar with or aware of something

## Examples
- Let me acquaint you with the rules before we begin.

## Synonyms
- familiarize
- inform
- apprise
- notify
- brief
- enlighten

## Derived Forms
- acquaintance
- acquainted

## Related Forms
- acquaintance
- quaint

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: accognōscere
- Root: cognōscere

## Etymology
From Old French acointier ('to make known'), from Vulgar Latin accognitāre, from Latin accognōscere ('to know well'), from ad- ('to') + cognōscere ('to know'), from com- + (g)nōscere ('to know').

## AI Etymology
Acquaint comes from Old French acointier ('to make known'), from Vulgar Latin accognitāre, from Latin accognōscere ('to know well'), from ad- ('to') + cognōscere ('to know'), from com- + (g)nōscere ('to know'). The historical trail runs through Latin accognōscere and Latin cognōscere. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means to make familiar with or aware of something. Derived formations include acquaintance, acquainted; related forms include acquaintance, quaint.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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