noun
inquiry
ihn-KWEYE-uh-ree
noun
1
A question or request for information.
"We received several inquiries about the job posting."
2
A formal investigation into a matter of public or legal concern.
"The government launched a public inquiry into the scandal."
"The inquiry concluded that safety procedures had been ignored."
How to Use Inquiry
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA question you ask, or a formal investigation into something.
UK vs US
British English often distinguishes "enquiry" (a casual question) from "inquiry" (a formal investigation), though usage varies; American English generally uses "inquiry" for both.
Common pairings
make an inquiry
public inquiry
inquiry into
Word Forms
inquiries plural
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The government launched a public _____ into the scandal.
Etymology
From Old French enquerre, from Latin inquirere, "to seek into" — later respelled to match the Latin more closely.