acquirere

Acquirere is a Latin verb meaning to obtain, acquire, gain, or procure. It is a third-conjugation verb, with the infinitive acquirere and the principal parts commonly given as acquirō, acquirere, acquisīvī, acquisitum.

Etymology and related forms: The word is formed from the Latin prefix ad- “toward” and the verb quaerere “to seek,” expressing the sense of seeking toward obtaining something. The Latin verb gave rise to a number of Romance-language verbs and, through Old French acquérir, to the English acquire. Related Latin derivatives include the perfect passive participle acquisitus and the noun acquisitio “acquisition.”

Usage and syntax: Acquirere takes a direct object in the accusative to denote what is obtained, and it can describe the acquisition of tangible possessions, wealth, status, or knowledge. It appears in classical and later Latin texts in contexts such as obtaining property, allies, or information, and in legal or bureaucratic language.

Derivatives and influence: The verb yields common Latin derivatives such as acquisitum (supine or passive participle) and acquisitio (acquisition). Its semantic field—gaining something by effort or seeking it—belongs to a broad family of verbs that express obtaining or procuring in Latin literature.

Modern descendants: The Latin verb is the source of several Romance-language verbs and related terms. Italian acquistare, French acquérir, Spanish adquirir, and Portuguese adquirir all descend from the same Latin root. In English, acquire and its noun acquisition trace their lineage to acquirere.

See also: acquisition, acquire, acquisitive.