enquiry en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
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.
Meanings
-
(British, alt-of, countable, uncountable) British form of inquiry.
alt of inquiry
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (title of book by David Hume)
scientific enquiry
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| enquiries | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| inquiry | alternative | lexicographic |