acquiring

Everyday

1. (formal) Acquiring means getting or gaining something, often by buying it or by effort. tree →
2. Acquiring a skill or habit means learning it over time. tree →

In the lessons

A formal word in exam language: «acquiring new skills», «acquiring land». In science, animals acquire features over time; a body can acquire immunity. In everyday talk people say «getting», «buying» or «picking up».

Examples

• She is acquiring a taste for spicy food. tree →
• The museum is acquiring a new dinosaur skeleton. tree →
• We are acquiring new words every day. tree →
• Acquiring a second language takes practice. tree →
• The company is acquiring a smaller shop. tree →
• He is acquiring quite a collection of stamps. tree →

Note

Spelling: «acq» at the start and the «e» of «acquire» is dropped before «-ing». Noun: acquisition. Formal; plain words: getting, gaining, learning.