enquiry
Words nearby enquiry
ENQUIRY VS. INQUIRY
What's the difference between enquiry and inquiry?
Enquiry and inquiry have the same meanings: a question, an investigation, a request for information, or the process of seeking information. Enquiry is a less common variant of inquiry.
Their verb forms—enquire and inquire—also mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate.
Both enquiry and inquiry are somewhat formal, especially compared to similar terms like question or investigation. Some speakers of British English may use both words, preferring enquiry in contexts that are less formal. In the U.S., enquiry is rarely used.
Here’s an example of enquiry used correctly in a sentence.
Example: I forwarded you an email with an enquiry about the open position.
Inquiry could be used in this sentence in the same exact way.
Most of these same distinctions apply to the verbs enquire and inquire.
To learn more about them, read the full breakdown of the difference between enquire and inquire.
Quiz yourself on enquiry and inquiry!
True or False?
Enquiry and inquiry have the same meaning.