English → Latin
“acquaint” in Latin
nōscōto become acquainted with something, learn about it, to be aware of; to know, recognize, be acquainted with, i.e.; in pocognōscōto learn, to get to know; to be acquainted (with someone), recognize, apprehend; to know, perceive, understanddiscōto learn; to teach; to study, practicepercipiōto seize or take on (entirely); assume; earn; occupy, keep (i.e. maintain control); to perceive, observe, notice; to feebonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant; right; usefulpulcherbeautiful, fair, pretty; noble, honorable, excellent
The English word acquaint itself goes back to Latin accognōscō, through accognitō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
acquaint
inform, Vid:
Acquaint one’s self with, noscere, cognoscere (especially by experience): discere (to learn): percipere (to get a clear notion of, especially by one’s own observation and experience). (a) ACQUAINTED, to be or become; with PERSONS. To become acquainted with each other, se inter se noscere. To become better acquainted with anybody (i. e, with his character), propius inspicere aliquem. To be well acquainted with a man, aliquem bene, optime, pulchre, propius nosse (general term): pulchre cognoscere alicujus sensum (his opinions); qui vir et quantus sit altissime inspexisse (his intellectual or moral greatness); aliquem penitus cognoscere; aliquem cognoscere et intelligere. To be thoroughly acquainted with anybody, aliquem penitus inspexisse; pernosse aliquem qualis sit; intus et in cute nosse (Persius). To make a man acquainted with another, aliquem ad aliquem deducere (to introduce him). To be acquainted with anybody, by sight, aliquem de facie nosse. Not to be acquainted with anybody, non nosse aliquem; aliquis mihi est ignotus; ignorare aliquem (rare in the sense of being unacquainted with his personm as Nep., Arist., 1, 4: mostly not to know his character).
Expressing or implying intimate acquaintance: to be intimately acquainted with, aliquo familiariter or intime uti; in familiaritate alicujus versari. I am intimately acquainted with, magna est mihi cum aliquo familiaritas. (b) ACQUAINTED, to be; with THINGS. Aliquid intelligere, callere, cognitum or perceptum habere; multum in aliqua re versatum esse (to have had much practice in it): alicujus rei gnarum esse. (SYN, in UNDERSTAND.) Not to be acquainted with anything, aliquid ignorare or nescire; in aliqua re rudem or peregrinum, or hospitem esse; alicujus rei ignarum or imperitum esse.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for acquaint?
- The usual Latin words for “acquaint” are nōscō, cognōscō, discō; also percipiō, bonus, pulcher. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.