obtainment
noun
Obtainment — the formal act of successfully gaining something sought
Definition
The act of obtaining
In depth
Obtainment is the act of obtaining, a somewhat formal and less common noun naming the successful gaining or securing of something sought, whether a permit, a degree, or a desired outcome. The word is largely interchangeable with the more common 'acquisition,' though it carries a slightly more procedural, bureaucratic flavor.
Origin
The word descends from 'obtain,' from Latin obtinere, to hold or possess, formed from ob- (toward) and tenere (to hold). Its relative rarity as a noun reflects how thoroughly the related gerund 'obtaining' has come to dominate everyday usage, leaving 'obtainment' as a more formal, somewhat less frequently chosen alternative.
Usage examples
"The obtainment of the necessary permits delayed construction by several frustrating months."
"Her obtainment of the rare manuscript required years of patient negotiation with the reluctant family."
"The obtainment of citizenship involved a lengthy process few applicants found straightforward."
How to use it
Obtainment is formal, somewhat uncommon vocabulary, more often replaced in everyday writing by 'obtaining' or 'acquisition'; it remains useful in bureaucratic, legal, or deliberately formal prose where its slightly stiffer register suits the context.
Related concepts
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