What does achievement mean?
Achievement is a noun denoting something that has been brought to a successful conclusion, especially through effort, skill, or perseverance. It carries two closely related senses: it can refer to a specific notable accomplishment — winning a championship, completing a degree, summiting a mountain — or more generally to the act or process of achieving something. The word is overwhelmingly positive in connotation, signalling success earned rather than given, which makes it a staple of formal language in education, business, sport, and public honours, as in phrases like 'a lifetime achievement award' or 'outstanding academic achievement'. Its everyday companion phrase, 'a sense of achievement', captures the personal satisfaction felt on completing something demanding. Derived from Old French achever, ultimately rooted in Latin, the word has been part of English since at least the early modern period. Distinguishing achievement from the broader term accomplishment is useful: accomplishments may be routine completions, whereas achievements imply something noteworthy attained against real difficulty.
nounA thing accomplished successfully, especially through effort, skill, or courage; the act or process of achieving something.
- A notable thing accomplished successfully through effort, skill, or courage.
- The act or process of achieving or accomplishing something.
"Winning the national championship was the greatest achievement of her career."
"Climbing Everest was the crowning achievement of his mountaineering career."
"She felt a deep sense of achievement after finishing her first marathon."
The plural is fully standard and widely used when referring to multiple distinct accomplishments, as in résumés, biographies, and award citations.
"The museum's exhibit celebrates the scientific achievements of the twentieth century."
The word 'achievement' descends from Old French 'achever', whose root traces back to a Latin term meaning 'to bring to a head' — so every achievement is, quite literally, something brought to completion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of achievement
Achievement comes from Old French achever ('to complete, finish'), derived from the phrase 'à chef venir', meaning 'to come to a head or end'. The root ultimately traces to Late Latin caput ('head'), via the Vulgar Latin form capere. The noun entered English in the late medieval period through Middle French, with the verb achieve appearing slightly earlier. Cognates include the related English words chief and grief, which share the same ultimate Latin root.
How achievement is actually used
Achievement is an unremarkable-sounding but positive word in most registers; it is common in formal contexts such as education, sport, and professional evaluation. The plural 'achievements' is standard and frequently used to list multiple accomplishments.
Easily confused with achievement
Accomplishment broadly refers to completing any task, while achievement typically implies a notable result reached through significant effort or skill.