inquisitive
Americanadjective
-
given to inquiry, research, or asking questions; eager for knowledge; intellectually curious.
an inquisitive mind.
- Antonyms:
- uninterested
-
unduly or inappropriately curious; prying.
noun
adjective
-
excessively curious, esp about the affairs of others; prying
-
eager to learn; inquiring
Synonym Usage
See curious.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inquisitive
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Late Latin inquīsītīvus, equivalent to Latin inquīsīt(us) ( see inquisition) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English inquisitif, from Middle French, from Late Latin, as above
Explanation
If you are inquisitive that means you love to inquire; you’re always asking questions. Don’t become a private detective if you don’t have an inquisitive personality. The old word for question is query, which you can hear in inquire, which means to ask questions. That toddler always asking “why?” is going through an inquisitive stage of development. If someone throws relentlessly hard questions at us, we might call it an inquisition. If your daughter brings her boyfriend home to dinner, be gently inquisitive, but try not to turn it into an inquisition. You'll just make him nervous.
Vocabulary lists containing inquisitive
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Young people are "more inquisitive" and ask more questions than their elders, who Miller said sometimes hesitate to challenge him for fear of causing offense.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
It functions, instead, as an honest and inquisitive interrogation of a life that has been, for too long, shrunken down and underappreciated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
He issued a call for scientists to keep being brave and inquisitive, and for governments to fund their innovations.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
Rostam brought his lovely and inquisitive new album, “American Stories,” to the Ford in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
I felt an inquisitive pat-pat-pat on my arm.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
