Acquisito

Acquisito is an Italian term meaning acquired or learned, used as both an adjective and a noun. It derives from the verb acquisire, whose past participle is acquisito. The word can describe things that have been obtained, gained, or developed, as opposed to innate or inborn ones. In Italian, the feminine form is acquisita and the plural forms are acquisiti (masculine) or acquisite (feminine).

In everyday language, acquisito commonly appears in contexts such as assets, skills, or knowledge. For example, one can speak of a bene acquisito (an acquired asset) or of una capacità acquisita (an acquired ability). In business and law, acquisito often contrasts with congenital or innate attributes, emphasizing elements that were obtained through action, purchase, or learning. The related noun acquisizione denotes the act of acquisition, merger, or purchase, while acquisito refers to the result of that process.

In biology and the history of evolutionary thought, the phrase carattere acquisito (acquired character) is tied to Lamarckian ideas that traits developed during an organism’s life could be inherited by offspring. Modern genetics rejects a general inheritance of acquired characteristics, emphasizing DNA as the primary carrier of heritable information. Nevertheless, discussions of epigenetics acknowledge that some environmental effects can influence gene expression across generations in a limited manner, without reversing the core framework of genetic inheritance.

Etymologically, acquisito traces to Latin acquirere, through Italian, reflecting the core sense of obtaining or gaining. The term remains common in scientific, legal, and everyday Italian, maintaining a flexible role in describing what is obtained, learned, or developed rather than inherited by birth.