acquaintance

Also ac·quaint·ance·ship

[uh-kweyn-tns]

noun

1. a person known to one, but usually not a close friend.

2. the state of being acquainted or casually familiar with someone or something.

   As far as I know, no one of my acquaintance has traveled around the world.

3. personal knowledge as a result of study, experience, etc..

   a good acquaintance with French wines.

   Synonyms: awareness, familiarity

4. (used with a plural verb),  the persons with whom one is acquainted.

acquaintance

/ əˈkweɪntəns /

noun

1. a person with whom one has been in contact but who is not a close friend

2. knowledge of a person or thing, esp when slight

3. to come into social contact with

4. those persons collectively whom one knows

5. philosophy the relation between a knower and the object of his knowledge, as contrasted with knowledge by description (esp in the phrase knowledge by acquaintance )

Other Word Forms

• acquaintanceship noun
• nonacquaintance noun
• nonacquaintanceship noun
• preacquaintance noun
• pseudoacquaintance noun
• reacquaintance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of acquaintance¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English acoyntaunce, aqueinta(u)nce, from Old French acointance; equivalent to acquaint + -ance

Idioms and Phrases

see nodding acquaintance; scrape up an acquaintance.

Synonym Study

Acquaintance, associate, companion, friend refer to a person with whom one is in contact. An acquaintance is someone recognized by sight or someone known, though not intimately: a casual acquaintance. An associate is a person who is often in one's company, usually because of some work, enterprise, or pursuit in common: a business associate. A companion is a person who shares one's activities, fate, or condition: a traveling companion; companion in despair. A friend is a person with whom one is on intimate terms and for whom one feels a warm affection: a trusted friend.

Example Sentences

"Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances," Sheriff Allen warned.

From BBC

“Although this act appears to be a singular crime,” Allen wrote, “all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances.”

From Los Angeles Times

Aug. 11 marked four days since she had heard from her friend, she said, and when she reached out to mutual acquaintances that weekend, she said, no one had heard from him for days.

From Los Angeles Times

An acquaintance of Lowell’s bemoaned the habit Lowell had of “jumping at some general idea or theorem,” after which he “selects and bends facts to underprop that generalization.”

From Los Angeles Times

The court heard how the boy contacted an acquaintance via the Telegram messaging app.

From BBC

Related Words

• associate 
• colleague 
• companion 
• friend 
• neighbor