- I have an acquaintance that now goes to the college you said you visited.
Acquaintance
zero derivation; noun
Term used to refer to someone known personally that you do not like but do not want to state that you do not like - therefore used also as a euphemism. Often used to refer to someone you knew in high school that you do not like and therefore do not want to refer to as a 'friend.' Therefore meaning is different from the traditional meaning because you may know this person very well.
Etymology : Comes from Old French acointier, for which morphemes are 'ad' meaning 'to' + 'cognitus' meaning 'come, to know' from 'com' 'with' + 'gnoscere' meaning 'know'
Source : Conversation with college students September 2007.
Last modified: 29 November 2008