acquire

[ uh-kwahyuh r ]
/ əˈkwaɪər /

verb (used with object), ac·quired, ac·quir·ing.

to come into possession or ownership of; get as one's own: to acquire property.
to gain for oneself through one's actions or efforts: to acquire learning.
Linguistics. to achieve native or nativelike command of (a language or a linguistic rule or element).
Military. to locate and track (a moving target) with a detector, as radar.

Origin of acquire

1400–50; < Latin acquīrere to add to one's possessions, acquire ( ac- ac- + -quīrere, combining form of quaerere to search for, obtain); replacing late Middle English aquere < Middle French aquerre < Latin

SYNONYMS FOR acquire

1 See get.
2 win, earn, attain; appropriate.

OTHER WORDS FROM acquire

Example sentences from the Web for acquiring

British Dictionary definitions for acquiring

acquire
/ (əˈkwaɪə) /

verb

(tr) to get or gain (something, such as an object, trait, or ability), esp more or less permanently

Derived forms of acquire

acquirable, adjective acquirement, noun acquirer, noun

Word Origin for acquire

C15: via Old French from Latin acquīrere, from ad- in addition + quaerere to get, seek