inquest

C1 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈɪnkwɛst/ UK /ˈɪŋkwɛst/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a judicial inquiry to ascertain the facts relating to an incident, such as a death

The inquest into the accident revealed several safety violations.
2

noun
an investigation or examination into a matter of public interest

The committee held an inquest into the financial irregularities.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a judicial inquiry to... inquiry examination probe investigation review

2 noun · an investigation or... scrutiny analysis inspection study audit

Etymology

From Latin in- ('in') + quaerere ('to seek; to ask'), giving Medieval Latin inquestum ('inquiry'); via Old French enqueste and Middle English inquest ('judicial inquiry') into Modern English inquest ('judicial investigation, especially into a death').

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# inquest

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɪnkwɛst/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɪŋkwɛst/

## Meanings
1. a judicial inquiry to ascertain the facts relating to an incident, such as a death
2. an investigation or examination into a matter of public interest

## Examples
- The inquest into the accident revealed several safety violations.
- The committee held an inquest into the financial irregularities.

## Synonyms
- inquiry
- examination
- probe
- investigation
- review
- scrutiny
- analysis
- inspection
- study
- audit

## Etymology
From Latin in- ('in') + quaerere ('to seek; to ask'), giving Medieval Latin inquestum ('inquiry'); via Old French enqueste and Middle English inquest ('judicial inquiry') into Modern English inquest ('judicial investigation, especially into a death').

## AI Etymology
Inquest comes from Latin in- ('in') + quaerere ('to seek; to ask'), giving Medieval Latin inquestum ('inquiry'); via Old French enqueste and Middle English inquest ('judicial inquiry') into Modern English inquest ('judicial investigation, especially into a death'). In current use it is a noun meaning "a judicial inquiry to ascertain the facts relating to an incident, such as a death". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The surface form is compositional: its joined elements remain visible in the modern word. The word's history is thus visible in its construction: the components remain interpretable even after the whole expression has settled into a conventional English meaning.

## Topics
- People & Society

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inquest

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