noun
inquisition
ihngk-wih-ZIH-shuhn
noun
1
A thorough, often aggressive investigation or interrogation.
"The meeting felt less like a review and more like an inquisition."
name
1
The historical tribunal established by the Catholic Church to root out heresy, especially in Spain.
"The Spanish Inquisition is remembered for its brutal interrogations."
How to Use Inquisition
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA harsh, searching investigation — or, capitalized, the historical Church tribunal.
Common pairings
the Spanish Inquisition
feel like an inquisition
Word Forms
inquisitioned past tense, inquisitions plural, inquisitions singular
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Etymology
From Latin inquisitio, from inquirere, "to inquire into"; its harsh connotation comes from the historical Spanish Inquisition.