survey

[ verb ser-vey; noun sur-vey, ser-vey ]

/ verb sərˈveɪ; noun ˈsɜr veɪ, sərˈveɪ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR survey ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to take a general or comprehensive view of or appraise, as a situation, area of study, etc.

to view in detail, especially to inspect, examine, or appraise formally or officially in order to ascertain condition, value, etc.

to conduct a survey of or among: to survey TV viewers.

to determine the exact form, boundaries, position, extent, etc., of (a tract of land, section of a country, etc.) by linear and angular measurements and the application of the principles of geometry and trigonometry.

verb (used without object)

to survey land; practice surveying.

noun, plural sur·veys.

an act or instance of surveying or of taking a comprehensive view of something: The course is a survey of Italian painting.

a formal or official examination of the particulars of something, made in order to ascertain condition, character, etc.

a statement or description embodying the result of this: They presented their survey to the board of directors.

a sampling, or partial collection, of facts, figures, or opinions taken and used to approximate or indicate what a complete collection and analysis might reveal: The survey showed the percentage of the population that planned to vote.

the act of determining the exact form, boundaries, position, etc., as of a tract of land or section of a country, by linear measurements, angular measurements, etc.

the plan or description resulting from such an operation.

an agency for making determinations: U.S. Geological Survey.

Nearby words

surv., surveil, surveillance, surveillance society, surveillant, survey, survey course, survey., surveying, surveyor, surveyor's chain

Origin of survey

1425–75; late Middle English surveien (v.) < Anglo-French surveier, Middle French surv(e)ier, surveoir to oversee, equivalent to sur- sur-¹ + v(e)ier < Latin vidēre to see

Related forms

sur·vey·a·ble, adjectivepre·sur·vey, nounpre·sur·vey, verb (used with object)self-sur·vey, noun

self-sur·veyed, adjectiveun·sur·vey·a·ble, adjectiveun·sur·veyed, adjective

Definition for survey (2 of 2)

survey.

surveying.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for survey

That statistic is based on a survey that includes attempted forced kissing as sexual assault.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7|PunditFact.com|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Medical University of South Carolina released a survey of 2,000 college women in 2007.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7|PunditFact.com|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That creates an obvious statistical issue: The results of a survey of two campuses cannot be extrapolated for the entire country.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7|PunditFact.com|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Down 29 percent since 2005, according to a Guardian survey of book authors.
Death of the Author by Viral Infection: In Defense of Taylor Swift, Digital Doomsayer|Arthur Chu|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And survey after survey proves an embarrassingly high percentage of Americans are largely ignorant of how our government works.
Baseball’s Problem Is Politics’ Problem|Doug McIntyre|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I have thought it wiser to close my survey with the decline of the romantic movement.
A History of French Literature|Edward Dowden
But then the Survey officer had left out quite a few points which were not pertinent.
Storm Over Warlock|Andre Norton
The survey team even made estimates of sandfall in various places as so many inches per year.
Sand Doom|William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Indeed, he began to survey her more carefully, a little through diplomacy, a little through curiosity.
Children of the Soil|Henryk Sienkiewicz
As a result of the survey of this region, engineers have worked out what is called the Superpower Plan.
The Coming of Coal|Robert W. Bruere

British Dictionary definitions for survey

survey

verb (sɜːˈveɪ, ˈsɜːveɪ)

(tr) to view or consider in a comprehensive or general wayto survey the situation

(tr) to examine carefully, as or as if to appraise valueto survey oneself in a mirror

to plot a detailed map of (an area of land) by measuring or calculating distances and height

British to inspect a building to determine its condition and value

to examine a vessel thoroughly in order to determine its seaworthiness

(tr) to run a statistical survey on (incomes, opinions, etc)

noun (ˈsɜːveɪ)

a comprehensive or general viewa survey of English literature

a critical, detailed, and formal inspectiona survey of the nation's hospitals

British an inspection of a building to determine its condition and value

a report incorporating the results of such an inspection

a body of surveyors
an area surveyed

statistics a random sample

Derived Formssurveyable, adjective

Word Origin for survey

C15: from French surveoir, from sur- 1 + veoir to see, from Latin vidēre

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

Word Origin and History for survey (1 of 2)

survey

late 14c. "to consider, contemplate" (implied in surveyance), from Old French surveeir, from Medieval Latin supervidere "oversee" (see supervise). Meaning "examine the condition of" is from mid-15c. That of "to take linear measurements of a tract of ground" is recorded from 1540s. Related: Surveyed; surveying.

Word Origin and History for survey (1 of 2)

survey

late 15c., survei, "oversight, supervision," from survey (v.). The meaning "act of viewing in detail" is from 1540s. Meaning "systematic collection of data on opinions, etc." is attested from 1927.

survey

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun, plural sur·veys.

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Nearby words

Origin of survey

Definition for survey (2 of 2)

survey.

Examples from the Web for survey

British Dictionary definitions for survey

survey

verb (sɜːˈveɪ, ˈsɜːveɪ)

noun (ˈsɜːveɪ)

Word Origin for survey

Word Origin and History for survey (1 of 2)

survey

Word Origin and History for survey (1 of 2)

survey