Library / English Dictionary

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A statement acknowledging something or someone

Example:

the preface contained an acknowledgment of those who had helped her

Synonyms:

acknowledgement; acknowledgment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("acknowledgment" is a kind of...):

content; message; subject matter; substance (what a communication that is about something is about)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "acknowledgment"):

credits (a list of acknowledgements of those who contributed to the creation of a film (usually run at the end of the film))

receipt (an acknowledgment (usually tangible) that payment has been made)

farewell; word of farewell (an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting)

greeting; salutation ((usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting))

aloha; ciao (an acknowledgment that can be used to say hello or goodbye (aloha is Hawaiian and ciao is Italian))

handclasp; handshake; handshaking; shake (grasping and shaking a person's hand (as to acknowledge an introduction or to agree on a contract))

apology (an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone)

mea culpa (an acknowledgment of your error or guilt)

commiseration; condolence (an expression of sympathy with another's grief)

declination; regrets (a polite refusal of an invitation)

admission (an acknowledgment of the truth of something)

thanks (an acknowledgment of appreciation)

Derivation:

acknowledge (accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority)

acknowledge (express obligation, thanks, or gratitude for)

acknowledge (express recognition of the presence or existence of, or acquaintance with)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage

Example:

the article includes mention of similar clinical cases

Synonyms:

acknowledgment; citation; cite; credit; mention; quotation; reference

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("acknowledgment" is a kind of...):

annotation; notation; note (a comment or instruction (usually added))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "acknowledgment"):

photo credit (a note acknowledging the source of a published photograph)

cross-index; cross-reference (a reference at one place in a work to information at another place in the same work)

Derivation:

acknowledge (express recognition of the presence or existence of, or acquaintance with)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The state or quality of being recognized or acknowledged

Example:

she seems to avoid much in the way of recognition or acknowledgement of feminist work prior to her own

Synonyms:

acknowledgement; acknowledgment; recognition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("acknowledgment" is a kind of...):

acceptance (the state of being acceptable and accepted)

Attribute:

acknowledged (recognized or made known or admitted)

unacknowledged (not recognized or admitted)

Derivation:

acknowledge (accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority)

acknowledge (declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of)

Credits

 Context examples: 

This acknowledgment comprises about 4-6 years of university study in total and is a degree conferred by American and Canadian institutions for educators moving on in their field.

(Master of Education, NCI Thesaurus)

He is no object of regret, indeed! and it will not be very long, I hope, before that becomes the acknowledgment of more than your reason.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

And in return for an acknowledgment, which must give me some pain, you cannot deny me the privilege of disliking him as much as ever.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

This acknowledgment comprises about 4-6 years of university study in total with the focus on an engineering discipline that involves the application of principles of physics for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems.

(Master of Mechanical Engineering, NCI Thesaurus)

This acknowledgment comprises about 4-6 years of university study in total with a professional engineering discipline that deals with the construction and design of public and private sector works such as bridges, roads, dams and buildings.

(Master of Civil Engineering, NCI Thesaurus)

You may see the house from this window, sir, was information on Sarah's side, which produced only a bow of acknowledgment from the gentleman, and a silencing nod from her mother; for Mrs. Morland, thinking it probable, as a secondary consideration in his wish of waiting on their worthy neighbours, that he might have some explanation to give of his father's behaviour, which it must be more pleasant for him to communicate only to Catherine, would not on any account prevent her accompanying him.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

They were good and kindly people, he forced himself to acknowledge, and in the moment of acknowledgment he qualified—good and kindly like all the bourgeoisie, with all the psychological cramp and intellectual futility of their kind, they bored him when they talked with him, their little superficial minds were so filled with emptiness; while the boisterous high spirits and the excessive energy of the younger people shocked him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He smiled acknowledgment.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

She made no acknowledgment.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Yet his dominant nature asserted itself, and he had first to thrash them into an acknowledgment of his superiority and leadership.

(White Fang, by Jack London)