Questionary

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkwɛstʃən(ə)ɹi/

Definitions

1. A written set of questions designed to gather information or opinions from respondents
2. A structured collection of inquiries aimed at obtaining data or viewpoints from individuals
3. An organized format of questions intended to elicit responses or attitudes from participants

Etymology: The word "questionnaire" can be traced to two possible routes, and the more interesting one may be the French. French "questionnaire" is a noun meaning a list of questions, and English may have borrowed it directly. Alternatively, English speakers could have built the word themselves from "question" and the suffix "-ary," which turns a noun into something related to or containing it, as in "dictionary" or "commentary." Both routes end in the same place: a term for a written set of questions meant to draw out answers. The French form itself is built from "question," with the French suffix "-aire," which is cognate with the English "-ary." So whichever path English took, the word's structure rests on a familiar pattern: a noun for what is asked, plus a suffix that marks a collection or record. The modern sense, a formal set of questions used in surveys or research to gather responses or attitudes, follows naturally from that original idea of a written list of questions.

Synonyms: survey, questionnaire, poll