erworben
acquired
Obtained through learning, work, or purchase, as opposed to innate or inherited.
EXAMPLE
Sprachkenntnisse sind eine erworbene Fähigkeit, keine angeborene.
Language skills are an acquired ability, not an innate one.
erworben
acquired
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Meanings
erworben
acquired
In medicine, describing a disease or characteristic that has developed over the course of life and was not present from birth.
EXAMPLE
Es handelt sich hierbei um eine erworbene Immunschwäche, keine angeborene.
This is an acquired immune deficiency, not an innate one.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Erworben' (acquired) is the past participle of the verb 'erwerben' (to acquire), which means 'to get through work, purchase, or learning.' As an adjective, it describes a quality that came about in this way.
EXAMPLE
Er hat sich im Laufe der Jahre ein großes Wissen erworben.
Over the years, he has acquired a great deal of knowledge.
Typical collocations
In its general meaning, 'erworben' (acquired) is often combined with abstract things such as 'Fähigkeiten' (skills), 'Kenntnisse' (knowledge), 'Qualifikationen' (qualifications), or 'ein Ruf' (a reputation).
EXAMPLE
Seine guten Manieren sind nicht angeboren, sondern mühsam erworben.
His good manners are not innate, but painstakingly acquired.
Medical context clue
You can recognize the medical meaning from the context. When terms such as 'Krankheit' (disease), 'Syndrom' (syndrome), 'Immunschwäche' (immune deficiency), or similar words are used, 'erworben' (acquired) means that it is not congenital.
EXAMPLE
Das erworbene Immundefektsyndrom wird durch ein Virus verursacht.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is caused by a virus.
Compare with
erworben vs entwickelt
developed
Both erworben and entwickelt can work for a biological characteristic, but they emphasize different aspects. Erworben emphasizes that the characteristic arose over the course of life and was not present from the beginning; entwickelt emphasizes that it is fully developed. Choose the word according to whether you want to focus on its origin or its degree of development.
erworben
Das Merkmal ist erworben und war bei diesem Tier bei der Geburt noch nicht vorhanden.
The characteristic was acquired and was not yet present in this animal at birth.
entwickelt
Das Merkmal ist bei diesem Tier vollständig entwickelt und deutlich ausgeprägt.
The characteristic is fully developed and clearly pronounced in this animal.
In real life
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