inquire

English

Alternative forms

• enquire (chiefly British)

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”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈkwaɪə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈkwaɪɹ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧quire
• Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)

Verb

inquire (third-person singular simple present inquires, present participle inquiring, simple past and past participle inquired) (transitive, intransitive)

1. (intransitive, US, Canada, Australia) To ask (about something).
   • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     "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.

2. (intransitive) To make an inquiry or an investigation.
3. (transitive, obsolete) To call; to name.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 12:

     Canute had his portion from the rest, The which he cald Canutium, for his hyre, Now Cantium, which Kent we commenly inquire.

Usage notes

• The spelling inquire is more common, especially in American English, but also in British English. Some authorities assert that a distinction is made in the UK, with enquire being used for a non-official enquiry, and inquire being used in legal or government contexts; in the US, Canada, an Australia, this distinction is not made and inquire is used generally.

Synonyms

• frain (dialect or obsolete)

Derived terms

• inquire after
• inquire of

Related terms

Translations

References

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /inˈkʷiː.re/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /inˈkwi.re/,

Verb

inquīre

1. second-person singular present active imperative of inquīrō

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: in‧qui‧re

Verb

inquire

1. inflection of inquirir:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative