Inquiry

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈkwaɪəɹi/

Definitions

1. An act of seeking information or an investigation into a subject can denote both a request for facts and a formal examination of a matter
2. A request for knowledge or a systematic examination into a specific topic signifies both informal questioning and formal research endeavors
3. A process involving the pursuit of knowledge or understanding often refers to both casual questioning and formal investigations into particular subjects

Etymology: The word "inquiry" carries a spelling history that its Latin ancestor shaped. Middle English borrowed it as "enquery" from the Old French verb "enquerre," and English writers kept that form for centuries. The spelling was later changed to match the Latin original, bringing back the "i" and the "qu" ... Thus the current form reflects scholars' preference for classical spelling rather than the French route the word actually travelled. The Latin source is "inquirere," built from "in-" meaning "in, into, or on," and "quaerere," meaning "to seek" or "to look for." Put together, the parts describe an act of seeking into something, which is exactly what a question does. The same Latin root gave English "query," "question," and "require," so "inquiry" is a close relative of several everyday words. The origin of the Latin root itself is uncertain. Some scholars link it to a Proto-Italic form, and possibly to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to acquire," but these connections are not firmly established.

Synonyms: question, investigation, query, probe, examination

Antonyms: answer, response