Etymograph

English

acquaintance

Acquaintance comes from Anglo-Norman aquaintaunce, from Old French acointier ‘to acquaint’, and ultimately from Early Medieval Latin accognitāre.

  1. Early Medieval Latinmodernaccognitāre
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400acointier‘to acquaint’
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400aquaintaunce
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500aqueyntaunce‘Friendship, intimacy’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1726acquaintance

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Early Medieval Latinmodernaccognitāre
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400acointier‘to acquaint’
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400aquaintaunce
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500aqueyntaunce‘Friendship, intimacy’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1726acquaintance

Earliest quotation: 1726, Jonathan Swift, His First Inducements to Travel. […]”: “Having therefore conſulted with my Wife, and ſome of…”

Every English word from Early Medieval Latin accognitāre

Today it means

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.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Early Medieval Latin accognitāre / acquaintance

Shirt and support for this word