She made a new acquaintance at the networking event.
mutual friend
Frequency:
50
%
They were introduced by a mutual friend.
close companion
Frequency:
45
%
She considered him a close companion in times of need.
distant relative
Frequency:
35
%
He met a distant relative at the family reunion.
Idiomatic Expressions for acquaintant
Phrase: person of acquaintance
Meaning: someone known to you, but not necessarily a close friend
Usage: I ran into a person of acquaintance at the grocery store yesterday.