acquired

ac-quired · adjective

imported

Definitions

adjective

  1. 1.

    Gained or obtained through effort or experience rather than being innate.

  2. 2.

    (Of a characteristic) developed over time.

  3. 3.

    (Past tense of acquire) Bought, obtained, or learned.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    acquired taste — Something one learns to appreciate over time.
  • •
    acquired immunity — Immunity developed through exposure or vaccination.
  • •
    acquired characteristic — A trait developed through experience, not inherited.

Related words

Antonyms: inherent, innate, natural
See also: acquire, acquisition, innate, learned
Synonyms: developed, gained, learned, obtained

Etymology

Past participle of acquire, from Latin acquirere ("to get in addition"), from ad- ("to") + quaerere ("to seek").