inquest

noun

in·​quest ˈin-ˌkwest 

1

a

: a judicial or official inquiry or examination especially before a jury

a coroner's inquest

b

: a body of people (such as a jury) assembled to hold such an inquiry

c

: the finding of the jury upon such inquiry or the document recording it

2

: inquiry, investigation

Synonyms

• delving
• disquisition
• examen
• examination
• exploration
• inquiry
• inquisition
• investigation
• probation
• probe
• probing
• research
• study

Examples of inquest in a Sentence

The court has ordered an inquest into his death.

the police conducted an inquest into the case

Recent Examples on the Web

Farquhar, who was 78 at the time of his death on March 6, died after becoming trapped between his bed and a wall while intoxicated, according to the inquest. —Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024

One of Congress’s most powerful oversight initiatives was its inquest into abuses by the CIA and other agencies. —John A. Lawrence, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2020

An inquest concluded that Diana and Dodi died because of the reckless actions of their driver — an employee of the Ritz Hotel in Paris owned by Al Fayed — and paparazzi chasing the couple. —Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024

An inquest in the U.K. has heard Kaicy Brown was found unresponsive alongside his grandfather David Brown, according to news reports Comments A 12-year-old boy and his grandfather were found dead next to each other in a tent during a camping trip, according to reports. —Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French enqueste, from Vulgar Latin *inquaesta, feminine of *inquaestus, past participle of *inquaerere to inquire

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

inquest

noun

in·​quest ˈin-ˌkwest 

: a judicial or official investigation

Medical Definition

inquest

noun

in·​quest ˈin-ˌkwest 

: a judicial or official inquiry especially before a jury to determine the cause of a violent or unexpected death

a coroner's inquest

Legal Definition

inquest

noun

in·​quest ˈin-ˌkwest 

1

: a judicial or official inquiry or examination often before a jury

a coroner's inquest

compare trial

2

: a body of people (as a jury) assembled to hold a judicial or official inquiry

also : the finding of such an inquiry or the document recording it

Etymology

Anglo-French enqueste, from Old French, ultimately from Latin inquirere to ask about, from in- within, into + quaerere to seek