acquire

verb ac·quire \ə-ˈkwī(-ə)r\

: to get (something) : to come to own (something) : to come to have (something)

: to gain (a new skill, ability, etc.) usually by your own effort

ac·quiredac·quir·ing

Full Definition of ACQUIRE

transitive verb

: to get as one's own:

a : to come into possession or control of often by unspecified means

b : to come to have as a new or added characteristic, trait, or ability (as by sustained effort or natural selection) <acquire fluency in French> <bacteria that acquire tolerance to antibiotics>

: to locate and hold (a desired object) in a detector <acquire a target by radar>

See acquire defined for English-language learners

See acquire defined for kids

Origin of ACQUIRE

Middle English aqueren, from Anglo-French acquerre, from Latin acquirere, from ad- + quaerere to seek, obtain

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to ACQUIRE

Synonyms: develop, cultivate, form

Antonyms: lose

Rhymes with ACQUIRE

attire, backfire, bemire, catch fire, cross fire, denier, desire, entire, for hire, fox fire, Greek fire, grey friar, hang fire, hellfire, live wire, on fire, prior, rimfire, sapphire, sea fire, snow tire, town crier, trip wire, umpire, watch fire, white friar

ACQUIRE Defined for Kids

acquire

verb ac·quire \ə-ˈkwīr\

ac·quiredac·quir·ing

Definition of ACQUIRE for Kids

: to get especially through effort : gain <acquire a skill>

Medical Dictionary

acquire

transitive verb ac·quire \ə-ˈkwī(ə)r\

ac·quiredac·quir·ing

Medical Definition of ACQUIRE

: to come to have as a new or additional characteristic, trait, or ability (as by sustained effort, by mutation, or through environmental forces) <a cognitive system…that is acquired in early childhood—Noam Chomsky> <bacteria that acquire tolerance to antibiotics> <insects that acquire resistance to insecticides>