Etymology

inquest

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Today it means: A formal investigation, often held before a jury, especially one into the cause of a death Full definition →

Middle English enquest ← Old French enqueste ← Vulgar Latin inquirere
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromquaesita
  2. Medieval Latin · derived frominquesta
  3. Vulgar Latin · derived frominquirere
  4. Old French · derived fromenqueste
  5. Middle English · inherited fromenquest
  6. English todayinquest

From Middle English enquest, from Old French enqueste (Modern French enquête), from Vulgar Latin inquirere, or from Medieval Latin inquesta < in + Latin quaesita.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.