attain

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈteɪn/ UK /əˈteɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #17341

Meanings

1

verb
To achieve something after a lot of effort.

After years of practice, she attained a black belt in judo.
2

verb
To reach a particular age, level, or condition.

Few runners attain this level of fitness.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to achieve something after... accomplish achieve gain obtain reach

2 verb · to reach a particular age,... reach

Word family

Forms attainedattainingattains

Derived forms attainability attainableattainedattainerattainingattainmentreattainunattaining

Related forms attainder attaint attainture

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English atteinen, atteynen (“to achieve, attain; to be adequate or sufficient; to affect; to come or get to (a place), reach; to corrupt, taint; to overcome, overpower; to overtake; to succeed; to tamper with; (law) to bring to justice, punish”), from ataign-, a stem of Anglo-Norman ataindre, and Old French ataindre, attaindre (“to reach”) (modern French atteindre), from Vulgar Latin *attangere, from Latin attingere, the present active infinitive of attingō (“to come into contact with, touch; to affect; to arrive at, reach; etc.”), from ad- (prefix indicating a…

*teh₂g- Proto-Indo-European atteinen Middle English ataindre Old French *attangere la-vul attingere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# attain

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈteɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈteɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 17341

## Meanings
1. To achieve something after a lot of effort.
2. To reach a particular age, level, or condition.

## Examples
- After years of practice, she attained a black belt in judo.
- Few runners attain this level of fitness.

## Derived Forms
- attainability
- attainable
- attained
- attainer
- attaining
- attainment
- reattain
- unattaining

## Related Forms
- attainder
- attaint
- attainture

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *teh₂g-
- Root: atteinen
- Root: ataindre
- Root: *attangere
- Root: attingere

## Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English atteinen, atteynen (“to achieve, attain; to be adequate or sufficient; to affect; to come or get to (a place), reach; to corrupt, taint; to overcome, overpower; to overtake; to succeed; to tamper with; (law) to bring to justice, punish”), from ataign-, a stem of Anglo-Norman ataindre, and Old French ataindre, attaindre (“to reach”) (modern French atteindre), from Vulgar Latin *attangere, from Latin attingere, the present active infinitive of attingō (“to come into contact with, touch; to affect; to arrive at, reach; etc.”), from ad- (prefix indicating a…

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown