English · Word Candidate

acquaintance

/əˈkweɪntəns/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: acquaintances

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A state of being acquainted with a person; originally indicating friendship, intimacy, but now suggesting a slight knowledge less deep than that of friendship; acquaintanceship.

Noun

Examples

I know of the man; but have no acquaintance with him.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A person or persons with whom one is acquainted.

Noun

Examples

Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “acquaintance” mean?

A state of being acquainted with a person; originally indicating friendship, intimacy, but now suggesting a slight knowledge less deep than that of friendship; acquaintanceship.

Is “acquaintance” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.