acclimate
Meaning
to become accustomed to a new climate, environment, or situation.
Structure
Usage
it took the hikers a few days to acclimate to the high altitude.
when you move to a new country, you need time to acclimate to the local customs.
the plants were slowly acclimated to direct sunlight to prevent shock.
Etymology
the word "acclimate" entered english in the late 18th century from french "acclimater." the french term was itself constructed from the prefix "a-" (from latin "ad-," meaning "to") and "climat" (climate). this traces back further to latin "acclimare" and ultimately to greek "klima," meaning "slope" or "region," referring to the slope of the earth from equator to pole, which determines climate. the literal sense of "adapt to a climate" has broadened to encompass adaptation to any new conditions, illustrating how a term for geographical adjustment evolved into a metaphor for general habituation.
Analysis
ac- is a prefix of latin origin (ad-), meaning "to, toward, near." climate is a noun of latin and greek origin (clima), meaning "region, zone, or inclination of the earth."