Dictionary

inquire en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈkwaɪə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɪŋˈkwaɪɹ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /ɪnˈkwaɪɹ/ (General-American)
• /ɪŋˈkwaɪə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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”).

Meanings

1. (Australia, Canada, US, ambitransitive, intransitive) To ask (about something).
   • "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day.[…]A strong man—a strong one; and a heedless." ¶ "Of what party is he?" she inquired, as though casually. 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
   • May I inquire to whom I have the honor of speaking?
2. (ambitransitive, intransitive) To make an inquiry or an investigation.
   • Police are already inquiring into the incident.
   • It is these people, gentlemen, the disseminators of these rumours, who are my dangerous accusers; because those who hear them suppose that anyone who inquires into such matters must be an atheist. 1954, Plato, translated by Hugh Tredennick, “Socrates on Trial: The Apology”, in The Last Days of Socrates (Penguin Classics), Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, →OCLC, page 20:
3. (ambitransitive, obsolete, transitive) To call; to name.
   • Canute had his portion from the rest, The which he cald Canutium, for his hyre, Now Cantium, which Kent we commenly inquire. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 12:

Forms

Deriveds

uninquired · reinquire · inquiringly · inquire after · inquire of · noninquiring · inquirable · inquirer · inquirist

Relateds

inquiry · inquisitive · query · inquisition · inquisitor · inquest

Synonyms

frain

Translations (66)

ar اِسْتَعْلَمَ (to ask about something) · bg разпи́твам (to ask about something) · arz سأل (to ask about something) · de nachforschen (to make an enquiry) · la sciscitor (to ask about something) · ga fiafraigh (to ask about something) · uk довідуватися (to ask about something) · ru спра́шивать (to ask about something) · th สอบถาม (to ask about something) · bg интересу́вам се (to ask about something) · ru справля́ться (to ask about something) · es consultar (to make an enquiry) · hu kérdezősködik (to ask about something) · te దర్యాప్తు చేయు (to ask about something) · ja 問い合わせる (to ask about something) · de sich erkundigen (to ask about something) · hu tudakozódik (to ask about something) · fr enquêter (to ask about something) · la scitor (to ask about something) · fi tiedustella (to ask about something) · fi kysellä (to ask about something) · he שָׁאַל) (to ask about something) · gd faighnich (to make an enquiry) · ja 尋ねる (to ask about something) · cmn 詢問 /询问 (to ask about something) · ar سَأَلَ (to ask about something) · ja 訊く (to ask about something) · sa पृच्छति (to ask about something) · ota صورمق (to ask about something) · mi pakirehua (to make an enquiry) · pt inquirir (to ask about something) · hu érdeklődik (to ask about something) · fr se renseigner (to ask about something) · es inquerir (disused) (to make an enquiry) · cmn 打聽 /打听 (to ask about something) · de nachfragen (to ask about something) · fi kysyä (to ask about something) · gd faighnich (to ask about something) · nb forespørre (to ask about something) · la scisco (to ask about something) · ota كشف ایتمك (to make an enquiry) · ro cerceta (to ask about something) · es informarse (to ask about something) · ro investiga (to ask about something) · te విచారించు (to ask about something) · es inquirir (to ask about something) · mi pakirehua (to ask about something) · sv höra sig för (to ask about something) · eu iker (to ask about something) · gl inquirir (to ask about something) · es inquirir (to make an enquiry) · es inquerir (disused) (to ask about something) · es preguntar (to make an enquiry) · fi tiedustella (to make an enquiry) · ja 聞く (to ask about something) · es investigar (to ask about something) · eo demandi (to ask about something) · mi whakaui (to make an enquiry) · ga fiosraigh (to ask about something) · mi urupounamu (to make an enquiry) · hy հարցնել (to ask about something) · bg разпитяам (to make an enquiry) · sv fråga (to ask about something) · de inquirieren (to ask about something) · uk питати (to ask about something) · nb spørre (to ask about something)