interrogative

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɪn.təˈɹɑ.ɡə.tɪv/ UK /ˌɪn.təˈɹɒɡ.ə.tɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #81698

Meanings

1

adj
Asking a question or expressing inquiry.

She raised her eyebrows in an interrogative look.
2

noun
A word used to ask a question, such as who, what, or why.

In English, "why" and "when" are common interrogatives.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · asking a question or... interrogatory

2 noun · a word used to ask a... question

More examining inquiring investigative

Word family

Forms interrogatives

Derived forms interrogative-pointinterrogativelynoninterrogative

Related forms interrogateinterrogatednessinterrogatee interrogation interrogator interrogatoryredditive

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

interrogative sentence
a sentence that asks a question

Adjective + noun

Etymology

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

interrogātīvus la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# interrogative

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪn.təˈɹɑ.ɡə.tɪv/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪn.təˈɹɒɡ.ə.tɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 81698

## Meanings
1. Asking a question or expressing inquiry.
2. A word used to ask a question, such as who, what, or why.

## Examples
- She raised her eyebrows in an interrogative look.
- In English, "why" and "when" are common interrogatives.

## Synonyms
- examining
- inquiring
- investigative

## Derived Forms
- interrogative-point
- interrogatively
- noninterrogative

## Related Forms
- interrogate
- interrogatedness
- interrogatee
- interrogation
- interrogator
- interrogatory
- redditive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: interrogātīvus

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

## AI Etymology
Interrogative is from Late Latin interrogātīvus, equivalent to interrogate + -ive. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include interrogātīvus (la-lat). Current senses include asking a question or expressing inquiry and a word used to ask a question, such as who, what, or why. The wider family includes derived forms such as interrogative-point, interrogatively, and noninterrogative; related words such as interrogate, interrogatedness, interrogatee, and interrogation.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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