Meanings
plural inquests · alternative enquest
- A formal investigation, often held before a jury, especially one into the cause of a death
The inquest on keeper Davidson was duly held, and at the commencement seemed likely to cause Tony Palliser less anxiety than he had expected.
1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 4, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC1 more example
However, the 'accidental death' verdict of the jury in the inquest into the Croydon tram accident of November 2016 is the latest episode in a saga that seems likely to prevent the full story of this eminently preventable disaster from ever being exposed.
2021 August 25, Christian Wolmar, “Croydon tram crash: the questions haven't been answered”, in RAIL, number 938, page 58Synonyms: assize
- An inquiry, typically into an undesired outcome
- The jury hearing such an inquiry, and the result of the inquiry
- obsoleterareenquiry; quest; search
Hauing of late by diligent inquest, Prouided him a sword of meanest sort
1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC1 more example
the laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after science
1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London - Philippinesbroadlycriminal lawProsecutorial proceeding on whether or not a warrantless arrestee is charged with an offense.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA formal investigation, often held before a jury, especially one into the cause of a death
Origin
- Latinquaesita
- Medieval Latininquesta
- Vulgar Latininquirere
- Old Frenchenqueste
- Middle Englishenquest
- Englishinquest
From Middle English enquest, from Old French enqueste (Modern French enquête), from Vulgar Latin inquirere, or from Medieval Latin inquesta < in + Latin quaesita.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Vulgar Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian дознание, следствие
- дознание (doznanie)investigation into the cause of a death
- следствие (sledstvie)investigation into the cause of a death
Chinese Mandarin 死因研訊 /死因研讯
- 死因研訊 /死因研讯investigation into the cause of a death
Esperanto enketo
- enketoinvestigation into the cause of a death
Finnish kuolemansyyn selvittämislautakunta, kuolinselvitys
- kuolemansyyn selvittämislautakuntajury hearing an inquest into the cause of death
- kuolinselvitysresult of an inquest into the cause of death
German Untersuchung der Todesursache
- Untersuchung der Todesursacheinvestigation into the cause of a death
Greek ανάκριση περί θανάτου, έκθεση αιτίων θανάτου
- ανάκριση περί θανάτου (anákrisi perí thanátou)investigation into the cause of a death
- έκθεση αιτίων θανάτου (ékthesi aitíon thanátou)result of an inquest into the cause of death
Indonesian inkues
- inkuesinvestigation into the cause of a death
Malay inkues
- inkuesinvestigation into the cause of a death
Māori uiuitanga matewhawhati
- uiuitanga matewhawhatiinvestigation into the cause of a death
Spanish pesquisa judicial
- pesquisa judicialinvestigation into the cause of a death
Welsh trengholiad
- trengholiadinvestigation into the cause of a death
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
inquest. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inquest
“inquest.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inquest. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inquest,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inquest.
Source: inquest on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.