English Lexicon

Acquaintance

/əˈkweɪn.təns/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #2100 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.

    "She is not a close friend of mine, merely an acquaintance from work."
  2. 2

    Knowledge or familiarity with something.

    "He has a broad acquaintance with classical literature."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from Old French acointance, from the past participle of acointer (to make known, familiarize), originating from Late Latin accognitare, a variant of Latin recognoscere. The term entered the English language in the 14th century, evolving from the action of making someone known to oneself into denoting a person one knows slightly.

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