investigate

English

Etymology

Recorded since circa 1510, a back-formation from investigation, from Latin investīgātiō (“a searching into”), from investīgātus, the past participle of investigare, equivalent to in- +‎ vestigate. Displaced native Old English undersēċan (literally “to search under or between”).

Pronunciation

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Verb

investigate (third-person singular simple present investigates, present participle investigating, simple past and past participle investigated)

1. (transitive) To inquire into or study in order to ascertain facts or information.

   to investigate the causes of natural phenomena

2. (transitive) To examine, look into, or scrutinize in order to discover something hidden or secret.

   to investigate an unsolved murder

3. (intransitive) To conduct an inquiry or examination.
   • 1903, Jack London, The Shadow and the Flash:

     "Why don't you investigate?" he demanded. And investigate I did.

Synonyms

• underseek

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• “investigate”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “investigate”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “investigate”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Italian

Etymology 1

Verb

investigate

1. inflection of investigare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

Participle

investigate f pl

1. feminine plural of investigato

Latin

Verb

investīgāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of investīgō

Spanish

Verb

investigate

1. second-person singular voseo imperative of investigar combined with te