survey

The word “survey” means a set of questions used to gather information or opinions from a group of people. In plain terms, a questionnaire to gather opinions, a general overview, or the act of examining/measuring something carefully.

“Survey” is pronounced SUR-vay (/ˈsɝˌveɪ/ in IPA).

Here is “survey” used in a sentence: “The company sent out a customer satisfaction survey.”

Depending on how it is used, “survey” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “survey” comes from Latin. From Old French surveoir ("to oversee"), from sur- ("over") + veoir ("to see"), from Latin videre — related to "vision" and "supervise".

“Survey” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Survey” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a set of questions used to gather information or opinions from a group of people.

A questionnaire is the actual set of written questions. A survey is the whole process, designing those questions, distributing them, collecting responses, and analyzing the results. So the questionnaire is a tool used within a survey. Every survey usually contains a questionnaire, but a survey is the broader research activity.

A poll is short and narrow, usually asking a single question to capture a quick snapshot of opinion, such as who someone will vote for. A survey is longer and more detailed, using many questions to explore attitudes, behavior, or experience in depth. Polls measure one thing fast; surveys gather richer, broader data.

Surveys are often grouped by method: online, telephone, mail, and in-person. By purpose, common types include customer satisfaction, market research, employee feedback, opinion or political polls, and academic research surveys. They can also be cross-sectional, capturing one moment, or longitudinal, tracking the same group over time.

Surveys turn scattered opinions into measurable data, letting organizations understand what people think, want, or experience. Businesses use them to improve products, governments to guide policy, and researchers to test ideas. Because they gather input directly from a group, surveys reduce guesswork and support decisions based on real evidence rather than assumptions.