attainment
noun
Attainment — the formal arrival at a new and significant stage of development
Definition
Arrival at a new stage; "his attainment of puberty was delayed by malnutrition"
In depth
Attainment is arrival at a new stage, often used to describe a developmental milestone reached through growth, effort, or the simple passage of time. The word carries a slightly more formal, often biological or educational register than 'arrival,' frequently applied to stages of maturity, skill, or education.
Origin
The word descends from Old French ataindre, to attain or reach, ultimately from Latin attingere, to touch upon or reach, formed from ad- (to) and tangere (to touch). That root sense of touching, finally, what had been out of reach unites the word's modern uses, whether describing a child's physical development or an adult's hard-won education.
Usage examples
"His attainment of puberty was delayed by years of childhood malnutrition."
"The attainment of fluency in a new language, she found, came not in a single moment but through hundreds of small, unremarkable ones."
"Educational attainment across the region had risen steadily over the previous two decades."
How to use it
Attainment is common in educational, developmental, and biological writing, particularly useful for describing milestones reached through gradual process rather than sudden accomplishment. It carries more formality than 'arrival' or 'reaching.'
Related concepts
Looking for a word but don't know its name?
Try the Word Finder →