unacquainted

Everyday

1. Unacquainted with something means not knowing about it or not having met it: «unacquainted with the rules». tree →
2. Unacquainted people have not met each other before. tree →

In the lessons

It appears in stories and formal writing, often in older books: a stranger unacquainted with the town, a reader unacquainted with a word. In everyday talk people say «didn't know» or «hadn't met». Phrases: «unacquainted with».

Examples

• The new boy was unacquainted with the school's rules. tree →
• Many people are unacquainted with this old card game. tree →
• The two families were unacquainted until the street party. tree →
• Being unacquainted with the forest, we kept to the path. tree →
• The visitor seemed unacquainted with British money. tree →
• I was unacquainted with the word, so I looked it up. tree →

Note

Followed by «with»: «unacquainted with the area». Spelt with «cq»: un-ac-QUAINT-ed. Opposite: acquainted. Formal; «not familiar with» means nearly the same.