acquaintance

American  

[uh-kweyn-tns] / əˈkweɪn tns /

Also acquaintanceship

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.

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acquaintance British  

/ 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 )

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acquaintance Idioms  

1. see nodding acquaintance; scrape up an acquaintance.

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Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of acquaintance

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

Example Sentences

Brewer, a paralegal and acquaintance of Buzzard, said in a statement that he visited Buzzard at her home to offer assistance in the search for the missing girl, and that the situation quickly escalated.

From Los Angeles Times

After the U.S. government shutdown began, with controllers required to work without pay, he said five U.S. controller acquaintances messaged him asking him about Australia.

From The Wall Street Journal

In 2000, he came to the U.S. to pursue graduate studies at Brown, where acquaintances say he struggled to adjust.

From The Wall Street Journal

Copperfield’s lawyers have previously said he was an acquaintance of Epstein but not a friend.

From The Wall Street Journal

This was the year of bar and bat mitzvahs—my own, but also those of friends, relatives, Hebrew-school classmates and, it sometimes seemed, any passing acquaintance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• associate
• colleague
• companion
• friend
• neighbor