acquire

/əkˈwaɪə/uh-KWIGH-ur

/əkˈwaɪɚ/uh-KWIGH-ur

Meaningto seek and gain

Common meaning: to get or gain

acto, towards
quirto seek, askLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1501 · scan

‘to, towards’ + ‘to seek, ask’ → acquire

Journey through time

Latinquaerō, quaesīvī, quaesītum‘to seek, ask’
Englishacquire‘to get or gain’ · today

ac- also in: access accord accost accrue accuse

quir also in: quest conquer inquire require question

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin quaerō ‘to seek, ask’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry quaerō, p. 1501 · dictionary scan

Roots

quaerō, quaesīvī, quaesītum Latin “to seek, ask”

Related words

conquer exquisite inquire quest question require

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