Atteynen

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. An archaic Middle English verb meaning to reach, arrive at, or obtain something by effort or by reaching a point
2. A Middle English word for attaining or getting hold of something, as in arriving at a goal or achieving an aim
3. Used in Middle English to describe reaching a place, a state, or a desired result through one's own effort

Etymology: Middle English "atteynen" is the ancestor of modern "attain," and its core meaning was physical: to reach a place. It came from Old French "ataindre," which joined "a-" (from Latin "ad," "to") with "atteindre," from Latin "attingere," meaning "to touch upon" or "to reach." The Latin verb itself combined "ad" with "tangere," "to touch," so the idea of making contact sits at the root. Over time the sense moved from arriving somewhere to achieving something. Medieval writers used the word for reaching a destination, a rank, or a goal, and that shift from literal arrival to reaching an aim is why "attain" now describes success, such as attaining a degree or a position. The spelling changed as the word settled into English, and "atteynen" is the form recorded in Middle English.

Synonyms: attain, achieve, reach

Antonyms: fail, lose