acquaintance
/ʌˈkweɪn.təns/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.55 in modern English
25
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A state of being acquainted with a person; originally indicating friendship, intimacy, but now suggesting a slight knowledge less deep than that of friendship; acquaintanceship.
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "I know of the man; but have no acquaintance with him."
- "Contract no friendſhip, or even acquaintance, with a guileful man : he reſembles a coal, which when hot burneth the hand, and when cold blacketh it."
- "Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson."
- "Having therefore conſulted with my Wife, and ſome of my Acquaintance, I determined to go again to Sea."
- "Their mother […] was busy in the mean time in keeping up her connections, as she termed a numerous acquaintance, lest her girls should want a proper introduction into the great world."
- "The words of these songs were either without meaning, or derived from an idiom with which Watt, a very fair linguist, had no acquaintance."
Etymology
From Middle English aqueyntaunce, from Anglo-Norman aquaintaunce, aqueintance, Old French acointance (“friendship, familiarity”), from Old French acointier (“to acquaint”). Compare French accointance. Morphologically acquaint + -ance.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ʌˈkweɪn.təns/
- British English: /əˈkweɪntəns/