query

[ kweer-ee ]

/ ˈkwɪər i /

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See synonyms for: query / queried on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural que·ries.

a question; an inquiry.

mental reservation; doubt.

Printing. a question mark (?), especially as added on a manuscript, proof sheet, or the like, indicating doubt as to some point in the text.

an inquiry from a writer to an editor of a magazine, newspaper, etc., regarding the acceptability of or interest in an idea for an article, news story, or the like: usually presented in the form of a letter that outlines or describes the projected piece.

verb (used with object), que·ried, que·ry·ing.

to ask or inquire about: No one queried his presence.

to question as doubtful or obscure: to query a statement.

Printing. to mark (a manuscript, proof sheet, etc.) with a query.

to ask questions of.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of query

1625–35; alteration (cf. -y³) of earlier quere<Latin quaerequaere

OTHER WORDS FROM query

que·ry·ing·ly, adverboutquery, verb (used with object), out·que·ried, out·que·ry·ing.un·que·ried, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH query

1. inquiry, query 2. quarry, query

Words nearby query

querist, quern, quernstone, quersprung, querulous, query, query language, ques., quesadilla, qué será, será, Quesnay

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

How to use query in a sentence

When a person uses their mobile phone for a voice query, for example, it’s not a good user experience if the page they are delivered to isn’t optimized for mobile.
Five SEO content types to power and grow your business through 2020|Jim Yu|June 17, 2020|Search Engine Watch
Additionally, last year, YouTube launched the “TrueView for Reach” option for short commercials, which analyzes the search queries to predict the relevance of advertising.
Hottest user-centric video advertising trends of 2020: CTV, vertical, and social formats|Ivan Guzenko|June 12, 2020|Search Engine Watch
A web page ranking is highly influenced by the topical relevance of the page to a search query.
10 Advanced SEO tactics to drive more traffic to your website|Christian Carere|June 8, 2020|Search Engine Watch
Culture can hugely influence how people formulate their online queries and you can’t ignore this factor when choosing location-specific keywords.
Six must-know international SEO tips to expand business|Edward Coram James|June 3, 2020|Search Engine Watch

The only goal of search engine updates is to provide the best results when users search a query.
The perfect SEO recipe to survive COVID-19 and the May core update|Sergio Arboledas|May 27, 2020|Search Engine Watch
Clinton's spokesman Nick Merrill responded Thursday with one word to an emailed query: "Rumors."
Special Ops Commander Swears: I Won't Be Hillary's VP|Kimberly Dozier|August 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Your query will be answered with a blank stare, followed by a long pause and half-hearted reply: My accountant?
Simon Kinberg on ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past,’ ‘The Fantastic Four’ Reboot, and Black Superheroes|Marlow Stern|May 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For that reason, it is essential for a neutral and detached judge to make the decision whether any particular query is warranted.
Understanding Obama’s NSA Proposals|Geoffrey R. Stone|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And depending on how this case plays out, that could be a serious query.
A Bitcoin Boss’s Bust Spotlights the Cryptocurrency’s Link to Online Drug Sales|Betsy Woodruff|January 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So Lopez also does his homework and hands out a query sheet with questions.
True Life: I’m a Part-Time Ghost Hunter|Christine Pelisek|September 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I didn't much like his offhand way of asking; not that it wasn't a perfectly legitimate query.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
I asked sharply, and MacRae flung the same query over one shoulder as he fumbled at the tight-drawn latigo-knot.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
And MacRae's patience snapped like a frayed thread before many minutes of futile query.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
This query is no doubt a very correct and moral one, but it seems somewhat cryptic.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries|Charles G. Harper
Query, What did the ghost come for, and was the second husband at all jealous of his coming?
Second Edition of A Discovery Concerning Ghosts|George Cruikshank

British Dictionary definitions for query

query

/ (ˈkwɪərɪ) /

noun plural -ries

a question, esp one expressing doubt, uncertainty, or an objection

a less common name for question mark

verb -ries, -rying or -ried (tr)

to express uncertainty, doubt, or an objection concerning (something)

to express as a query"What's up now?" she queried

US to put a question to (a person); ask

Word Origin for query

C17: from earlier quere, from Latin quaere ask!, from quaerere to seek, inquire

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

query

Origin of query

OTHER WORDS FROM query

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH query

Words nearby query

Words related to query

How to use query in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for query

Word Origin for query