Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “preacquaintance” come from?

preacquaintance (English) comes from English acquaintance, from Middle English aqueyntaunce, from Anglo-Norman aquaintaunce, from Old French acointance, from Old French acointier, from Latin accognitāre, from Latin accognitus, from Latin cognōscō — resin.

preacquaintance (English): Previous acquaintance or knowledge

Definitions

  1. Previous acquaintance or knowledge

Ancestry of “preacquaintance”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishacquaintanceA state of being acquainted with a person;...
2Middle Englishaqueyntaunce—
3Anglo-Normanaquaintaunce—
4Old Frenchacointancefriendship, familiarity
5Old Frenchacointierto introduce; to introduce oneself; to get to...
6Latinaccognitāre—
7Latinaccognitusacquainted with
8Latincognōscō—
9Latincōn-—
10Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
11Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
12Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
13Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
14Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
15Middle Englishkyt—
16Germankitt—
17Old High Germankuti—
18Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
19Proto-Germanickweduzresin
Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz →