Etymology

From Old FrenchCategory:English terms derived from Old French#INQUISITION inquisicionCategory:English undefined derivations#INQUISITION, from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#INQUISITION inquisitioCategory:English undefined derivations#INQUISITION, from inquirere. The sense implying persecution is influenced by the name of the Spanish Inquisition, which is a cardinal exemplar of government inquisitions that give inquisitions a bad name.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɪŋkwɪˈzɪʃən/Category:English 4-syllable words#INQUISITIONCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#INQUISITION

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#INQUISITION
• Rhymes: -ɪʃənCategory:Rhymes:English/ɪʃən#INQUISITIONCategory:Rhymes:English/ɪʃən/4 syllables#INQUISITION
• Hyphenation: in‧qui‧si‧tion

Noun

inquisition (countable and uncountable, plural inquisitions)Category:English lemmas#INQUISITIONCategory:English nouns#INQUISITIONCategory:English uncountable nouns#INQUISITIONCategory:English countable nouns#INQUISITIONCategory:English countable nouns#INQUISITIONCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#INQUISITIONCategory:Pages with entries#INQUISITIONCategory:Pages with 2 entries#INQUISITION

1. An inquiry or investigation into the truth of some matter.

   Synonym: disquisition

   • 1552, Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[The First Sermon]”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folios 5, verso – 6, recto:

     But as farrefoorth as I coulde learne, through earneſt inquiſition I thoughte in my conſcience the woman was not gilty, all the circumſtances well conſydered.

     Category:English terms with quotations#INQUISITION

   • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     Let not search and inquisition quail / To bring again these foolish runaways.

     Category:English terms with quotations#INQUISITION

   1. (sometimes) Such an investigation that is asserted to be persecutory by its adversaries.
2. An inquest.
3. A questioning.
4. The finding of a jury, especially such a finding under a writ of inquiry.
   • 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

     The justices in eyre had it formerly in charge to make inquisition concerning them by a jury of the county.

     Category:English terms with quotations#INQUISITION

Verb

inquisition (third-person singular simple present inquisitions, present participle inquisitioning, simple past and past participle inquisitioned)Category:English lemmas#INQUISITIONCategory:English verbs#INQUISITIONCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#INQUISITIONCategory:Pages with entries#INQUISITIONCategory:Pages with 2 entries#INQUISITION

1. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#INQUISITION) To make inquisition concerning; to inquire into.
   • 1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC:

     And in their name I shall for neither friend nor foe conceal what the general murmur is ; that if it come to inquisitioning again

     Category:English terms with quotations#INQUISITION

Etymology

Inherited from Old FrenchCategory:French terms inherited from Old French#INQUISITIONCategory:French terms derived from Old French#INQUISITION inquisicion, itself borrowed from LatinCategory:French terms derived from Latin#INQUISITION inquisitiōnem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.ki.zi.sjɔ̃/Category:French 4-syllable words#INQUISITIONCategory:French terms with IPA pronunciation#INQUISITION

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

  Category:French terms with audio pronunciation#INQUISITION

Noun

inquisition f (plural inquisitions)Category:French lemmas#INQUISITIONCategory:French nouns#INQUISITIONCategory:French countable nouns#INQUISITIONCategory:French entries with incorrect language header#INQUISITIONCategory:French feminine nouns#INQUISITIONCategory:Pages with entries#INQUISITIONCategory:Pages with 2 entries#INQUISITION

1. inquisition

Further reading

• “inquisition”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012