Meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna systematic investigation of a matter of public interest
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*kʷeh₂-“to acquire”
- Proto-Italic*kʷaizeō
- Latininquīrō
- Middle Englishenquery
- Englishenquiry
From Middle English enquery, from the Old French verb enquerre, from Latin inquīrō, 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”). The alternative form inquiry was subsequently respelled to conform to the original Latin spelling, as opposed to the Old French spelling.
More words from Middle English, Latin, Proto-Italic
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Rhymes with enquiry
All rhymes →Cite this entry
enquiry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enquiry
“enquiry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enquiry. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “enquiry,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enquiry.
Source: enquiry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.