Where does “acquaint” come from?

Acquaint derives from Middle English aqueinten, from Old French acointier, from Vulgar Latin accognitare, formed from Latin ad- meaning "to" or "toward."

acquaint (English): To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to...

Definitions

  1. To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to...

Ancestry of “acquaint”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishaqueyntenTo introduce or present oneself
2Old Frenchacointierto introduce; to introduce oneself; to get to...
3Latinaccognitāre
4Latinaccognitusacquainted with
5Latincognōscōto learn, to get to know
6Latincōn-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt
13Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
14Old High Germankuti
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “acquaint

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-Every word from Latin cōn-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-
acquaint — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer