Dictionary

interrogative en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌɪn.təˈɹɒɡ.ə.tɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌɪn.təˈɹɑ.ɡə.tɪv/ (Canada, US)
• /ˌɪn.təˈɹɔɡ.ə.tɪv/ (Australia)
• (Received-Pronunciation) audio
• [ˌɪn.təˈɹɑ.ɡə.ɾɪv] (Canada, US)
• [ˌɪn.təˈɹɔɡ.ə.ɾɪv] (Australia)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From Late Latin interrogātīvus, equivalent to interrogate + -ive.

Meanings

1. Asking or denoting a question.
   • The regular place of the interrogative word, of whatever kind, is at the beginning of the sentence, or as near it as possible. 1877, William Dwight Whitney, Essentials of English Grammar for the Use of Schools, §470:
   • an interrogative pronoun
   • an interrogative phrase
   • An interrogative particle ke is placed at the end of a question. […] The interrogative words are placed at the beginning of the sentence 2021 October 5, Gessica Puccini, “Lang Belta: the Belter language from SYFY/Amazon’s The Expanse”, in Lingoblog:
2. Pertaining to inquiry; questioning
   • Thus speaking, the good man regarded his lady with an interrogative look. "I do n't know, dear!" she replied kindly, and sighing again. 1847, Charles Sealsfield, Rambleton: A Romance of Fashionable Life in New-York during the Great Speculation of 1836, →OCLC, page 127:
   • He took on an interrogative tone of voice.

Forms

Coordinates

imperative · assertoric

Deriveds

nterrogative adjective · interrogative pronoun · interrogative judgement · interrogative accent · interrogatively · noninterrogative

Relateds

interrogation · interrogator · interrogate

Synonyms

examining · inquiring · investigative

Translations (36)

pt interrogativo (asking or denoting a question) · mk прашален (asking or denoting a question) · cs tázací (asking or denoting a question) · uk пита́льний (asking or denoting a question) · de fragend (asking or denoting a question) · pl pytający (asking or denoting a question) · be пыта́льны (asking or denoting a question) · mi tūpātai (asking or denoting a question) · vi nghi vấn (asking or denoting a question) · es interrogativo (asking or denoting a question) · hu kérdő (asking or denoting a question) · de Frage- (asking or denoting a question) · ar اِسْتِفْهَامِيّ (asking or denoting a question) · bg въпроси́телен (asking or denoting a question) · sh у̀питан (asking or denoting a question) · sl vprašalni (asking or denoting a question) · hi प्रश्नवाचक (asking or denoting a question) · uk запита́льний (asking or denoting a question) · mi kupu pātai (asking or denoting a question) · ru вопроси́тельный (asking or denoting a question) · sh ùpitan (asking or denoting a question) · it interrogativo (asking or denoting a question) · sk opytovací (asking or denoting a question) · de interrogativ (asking or denoting a question) · gl interrogativo (asking or denoting a question) · grc ἐρωτηματικός (asking or denoting a question) · fi interrogatiivinen (asking or denoting a question) · ca interrogatiu (asking or denoting a question) · ang āxiġendlīċ (asking or denoting a question) · nl vragend (asking or denoting a question) · be запыта́льны (asking or denoting a question) · fr interrogatif (asking or denoting a question) · el ερωτηματικός (asking or denoting a question) · hy հարցական (asking or denoting a question) · tl patanong (asking or denoting a question) · lt klausiamasis (asking or denoting a question)

interrogative en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌɪn.təˈɹɒɡ.ə.tɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌɪn.təˈɹɑ.ɡə.tɪv/ (Canada, US)
• /ˌɪn.təˈɹɔɡ.ə.tɪv/ (Australia)
• (Received-Pronunciation) audio
• [ˌɪn.təˈɹɑ.ɡə.ɾɪv] (Canada, US)
• [ˌɪn.təˈɹɔɡ.ə.ɾɪv] (Australia)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From Late Latin interrogātīvus, equivalent to interrogate + -ive.

Meanings

1. A word (pronoun, pronominal adjective, or adverb) implying interrogation, or used for asking a question: why, who, when, etc.
   • When question words are used, it is not necessary to add the ke particle, as it is already embedded in the interrogative 2021 October 5, Gessica Puccini, “Lang Belta: the Belter language from SYFY/Amazon’s The Expanse”, in Lingoblog:
2. (archaic) Synonym of question mark ⟨?⟩.
   • There be five manner of points and divisions most used among cunning men; the which if they be well used, make the sentence very light and easy to be understood, both to the reader and hearer: and they be these, virgil,—come,—parenthesis,—plain point,—interrogative. 1824, J. Johnson, Typographia:
   • Whoever introduced the several points, it seems that a full-point, a point called come, answering to our colon-point, a point called virgil answering to our comma-point, the parenthesis-points and interrogative-point, were used at the close of the fourteenth, or beginning of the fifteenth century. 1842, F. Francillon, An Essay on Punctuation, page 9:
3. (rare) A question; an interrogation.
   • "Who are you, sir, and what is your business?" demanded the Marquis... "That is a fair interrogative, my lord," answered Dalgetty. 1819, Sir Walter Scott, A Legend of Montrose, section XII:

Forms

Deriveds

interrogative-point

Hypernyms

word

Hyponyms

interrogative pronoun

Relateds

what · when · interrogation · interrogatory · whether · how · whom · interrogator · interrogatedness · which · wherefore · interrogatee · whither · who · whose · why · interrogate · whence · where · redditive

Synonyms

question mark (punctuation mark) · interrogative · question mark

Translations (15)

ca interrogatiu (a word implying interrogation) · uk питальний (a word implying interrogation) · nl vraag (a question) · mi kupu pātai (a word implying interrogation) · sv frågeord (a word implying interrogation) · fi kysymys (a question) · nl vraagwoord (a word implying interrogation) · it interrogativo (a question) · ar أَدَاة اِسْتِفْهَام (a word implying interrogation) · nrf tchestchion (a word implying interrogation) · fi interrogatiivi (a word implying interrogation) · mi tūpātai (a word implying interrogation) · nl interrogatief (a word implying interrogation) · es interrogativo (a word implying interrogation) · fi kysymyssana (a word implying interrogation)