Obtainment

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əbˈteɪn.mənt/

Definitions

1. The process or act of acquiring or gaining possession of something
2. The action of obtaining or securing a thing or item through effort or request
3. The manner in which something is gotten or received, often by effort or by fulfilling requirements

Etymology: "Obtainment" is a plain English formation: the verb "obtain" with the suffix "-ment" added to turn an action into a noun for the act or process itself. The suffix comes from Latin "-mentum," which passed through Old French "-ment" into Middle English, and it has been attached to English verbs ever since, as in "payment," "settlement," and "amazement." Its ancestry reaches back to a Proto-Indo-European suffix, but in practice the word is simply "obtain" plus a familiar noun ending. The verb "obtain" itself has a Latin lineage, coming from "obtinere," meaning to hold or keep hold of something, which explains why the core sense of acquiring is tied to gripping or securing. "Obtainment" follows the same pattern, emphasizing the act of getting hold of something rather than the thing gained.

Synonyms: acquisition, procurement