inquisitorial

[ in-kwiz-i-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr- ]

/ ɪnˌkwɪz ɪˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr- /

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See synonyms for inquisitorial on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or relating to an inquisitor or inquisition.

exercising the office of an inquisitor.

Law.

pertaining to a trial with one person or group inquiring into the facts and acting as both prosecutor and judge.
pertaining to secret criminal prosecutions.

resembling an inquisitor in harshness or intrusiveness.

inquisitive; prying.

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Origin of inquisitorial

1755–65; <Medieval Latin inquīsītōri(us) (Latin inquīsītōr-, stem of inquīsītorinquisitor + -ius adj. suffix) + -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM inquisitorial

in·quis·i·to·ri·al·ly, adverbin·quis·i·to·ri·al·ness, nounun·in·quis·i·to·ri·al, adjectiveun·in·quis·i·to·ri·al·ly, adverb

Words nearby inquisitorial

inquisitionist, inquisitive, inquisitiveness, inquisitor, Inquisitor-General, inquisitorial, inquisitress, inquorate, inradius, in re, in reach

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use inquisitorial in a sentence

By contrast, the European system is described as "inquisitorial."
Don't Blame the D.A.|Raymond Bonner|August 26, 2011|DAILY BEAST
So Rangel, bereft of that narrative, chose instead to question the intelligence of a pesky, inquisitorial journalist.
Charlie Rangel Is Toast|Tunku Varadarajan|July 23, 2010|DAILY BEAST
But conversation will not bear such inquisitorial pinning down to a particular point.
The Idler Magazine, Volume III, April 1893|Various
This was merely a modified form of the inquisitorial principle which reigned more openly in other countries.
Mauprat|George Sand

But neither Scrooby, nor any other place, was secure from the inquisitorial interference of the high church functionaries.
The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 3, March, 1852|Various
Casting a quick, inquisitorial glance at Sue, he shrugged his shoulders in token of indifference and said no more.
The Nest of the Sparrowhawk|Baroness Orczy
Fire, not water, became the grand element of inquisitorial purification.
Gatherings From Spain|Richard Ford

British Dictionary definitions for inquisitorial

inquisitorial

/ (ɪnˌkwɪzɪˈtɔːrɪəl) /

adjective

of, relating to, or resembling inquisition or an inquisitor

offensively curious; prying

law denoting criminal procedure in which one party is both prosecutor and judge, or in which the trial is held in secretCompare accusatorial (def. 2)

Derived forms of inquisitorial

inquisitorially, adverbinquisitorialness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

inquisitorial

Origin of inquisitorial

OTHER WORDS FROM inquisitorial

Words nearby inquisitorial

Words related to inquisitorial

How to use inquisitorial in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inquisitorial

Derived forms of inquisitorial