What does "achievement" mean?

1. (a success) something you succeed in doing, especially after a lot of work or effort. 2. (a heroic deed) a very brave or impressive action. 3. (video games) a digital reward you get for finishing a specific task in a video game. 4. (linguistics) a type of verb that describes an action happening in a single moment. 5. (heraldry) a full display of a family's coat of arms.

How do you use "achievement"?

Used in the study of semantics to distinguish verbs like 'reach' or 'win' from continuous actions.

achievement

US //əˈtʃivmənt// UK //ɐtʃˈiːvmənt// achieve·ment

1 a success (n.)
B1 Intermediate

something you succeed in doing, especially after a lot of work or effort.

the successful completion of a task or goal, often implying the application of skill or perseverance.

Example

Winning the scholarship was a great achievement for the young student.

Example

The completion of the bridge ahead of schedule was a remarkable achievement for the engineering team, given the harsh weather conditions.
- failure
- defeat
2 a heroic deed (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

a very brave or impressive action.

a feat of great valor, boldness, or heroic proportions.

Example

The history books record the achievements of the explorers who first crossed the mountains.

Example

The knight's achievements on the battlefield were celebrated in songs and poems for generations to come.

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3 video games (n.)
B1 Intermediate Computing

a digital reward you get for finishing a specific task in a video game.

a virtual award or badge granted to a player for completing a specific objective or reaching a milestone within a video game.

Example

I finally unlocked the achievement for finding all the hidden items in the game.

Example

Hardcore players often spend hundreds of hours attempting to unlock every single achievement available in the expansion pack.
- trophy
- badge
4 linguistics (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Science

a type of verb that describes an action happening in a single moment.

a lexical aspect (aktionsart) describing a predicate that involves a change of state occurring instantaneously.

Example

In the sentence 'He reached the top,' the verb is an achievement because it happens in one moment.

Example

Linguists distinguish achievements from accomplishments by noting that the former lack a duration phase and represent a near-instantaneous transition.

Usage

Used in the study of semantics to distinguish verbs like 'reach' or 'win' from continuous actions.
- punctual aspect
- state
- activity
5 heraldry (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Archaic

a full display of a family's coat of arms.

a complete heraldic display including the shield, crest, supporters, and motto.

Example

The stone achievement above the castle gate showed the family's history.

Example

The funeral achievement was displayed prominently in the chapel, showcasing the intricate lineage of the deceased earl.
- hatchment
- coat of arms

Origin

From Middle French achevement (compare Modern French achèvement), from Old French achevement, from the verb achever, achiever (“to finish”); equivalent to achieve + -ment. The heraldic sense may be influenced by hatchment.