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.
She says he's inquisitive about "what the big milestones are, what the risky parts are, when he can sigh a sigh of relief, when he needs to be glued to the TV".
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
“Ni Hao,” one of them finally says, spoken in a warped inquisitive tone, like a test.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
Such baseless reticence only makes us more defiant and less inquisitive.
From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026
Anyone can assert their inquisitive expertise by the sole virtue of making the trip and setting up shop.
From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026
Among the questions that attracted interest in that fanatically inquisitive age was one that had puzzled people for a very long time–namely, why ancient clamshells and other marine fossils were so often found on mountaintops.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
