Inquire
/ɪnˈkwaɪə/ verb
verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To ask (about something). Australia, Canada, US, ambitransitive, intransitive
"May I inquire to whom I have the honor of speaking?"
- 2 have a wish or desire to know something wordnet
- 3 To make an inquiry or an investigation. ambitransitive, intransitive
"Police are already inquiring into the incident."
- 4 conduct an inquiry or investigation of wordnet
- 5 To call; to name. ambitransitive, obsolete, transitive
"Canute had his portion from the rest, The which he cald Canutium, for his hyre, Now Cantium, which Kent we commenly inquire."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 address a question to and expect an answer from wordnet
Example
More examples"I will inquire about the matter after I return home."
Etymology
From Latin inquīrō (“to seek for”), composed of in- (“in, at, on; into”) + quaerō (“I 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”).