inquire

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*kʷeh₂-“to acquire”
2. Proto-Italic · derived from*kʷaizeō
3. Latin · borrowed frominquīrō“to seek for”
4. English todayinquire

From Latin inquīrō (“to seek for”), composed of in- (“in, at, on; into”) + quaerō (“to seek, look for”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”). Displaced Middle English enqueren (from Old French enquerre, of the same source) and native Middle English speir (“ask, inquire”).

Words from the same roots