Acquiring
/əˈkwaɪ.ərɪŋ/
verbIntermediate📊CommonAction
1 meaning1 question
Definitions
1
to gain or obtain something
/əˈkwaɪ.ərɪŋ/
verbneutralIntermediate
Action
to obtain or gain something
Through hard work and persistence, she finally acquired the skills needed to excel in her career.
How It's Used
Business
"The company is acquiring new assets to expand its operations."
Learning
"By reading books, John is acquiring knowledge and improving his vocabulary."
From Middle French *acquerir*, from Latin *acquirere* ‘get, gain’, from *ad-* ‘to’ + *quaerere* ‘seek’.
Historically, acquire was used in legal contexts to indicate the gaining of rights or property.
Memory tip
Think of an acquisition as a purchase or addition to one's collection.
Word Origin
LanguageLatin
Original meaning
"seek, find"
Base: acquire
acquire knowledgeacquire wealthacquire a taste for
Common misspellings
akwiringakweriingaquiring
Practice
Usage
60%Spoken
40%Written