survey.

¹ American  

abbreviation

1. surveying.

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survey ² American  

[ser-vey, sur-vey, ser-vey] / sərˈveɪ, ˈsɜr veɪ, sərˈveɪ /

verb (used with object)

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

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

3. to conduct a survey of or among.

   to survey TV viewers.

4. 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.

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verb (used without object)

1. to survey land; practice surveying.

noun

plural

surveys

1. an act or instance of surveying or of taking a comprehensive view of something.

   The course is a survey of Italian painting.

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

3. a statement or description embodying the result of this.

   They presented their survey to the board of directors.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. the plan or description resulting from such an operation.

7. an agency for making determinations.

   U.S. Geological Survey.

survey British  

verb

1. (tr) to view or consider in a comprehensive or general way

   to survey the situation

2. (tr) to examine carefully, as or as if to appraise value

   to survey oneself in a mirror

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

4. to inspect a building to determine its condition and value

5. to examine a vessel thoroughly in order to determine its seaworthiness

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

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noun

1. a comprehensive or general view

   a survey of English literature

2. a critical, detailed, and formal inspection

   a survey of the nation's hospitals

3. an inspection of a building to determine its condition and value

4. a report incorporating the results of such an inspection

5. 1. a body of surveyors

   2. an area surveyed

6. statistics a random sample

Other Word Forms

• presurvey noun
• self-survey noun
• self-surveyed adjective
• surveyable adjective
• unsurveyable adjective
• unsurveyed adjective

Etymology

Origin of survey

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English surveien (verb), from Anglo-French surveier, Middle French surv(e)ier, surveoir “to oversee,” from sur- sur- ¹ + v(e)ier “to see” (from Latin vidēre; video ( def. ), vision ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

Researchers surveyed 904 medical professionals across India, Brazil, Indonesia and Nigeria, the countries most affected by snakebites, and found similar barriers: poor infrastructure, limited access to antivenom and insufficient training.

From BBC

To better understand why the United States stands out, psychologist Frank J. Infurna of Arizona State University and his colleagues analyzed survey data from 17 countries.

From Science Daily

Kalshi said that a majority of its users are male, and that most younger adults use the site casually, according to a recent survey.

From The Wall Street Journal

Only 11 percent of adults found full-time work after returning to Afghanistan, according to an IOM survey.

From Barron's

The lack of bins is the most commonly cited problem for tourists, ahead of language barriers or crowds, according to a recent survey by Japan’s tourism agency.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assess
• canvass
• check
• check out
• estimate
• evaluate
• examine
• inspect
• look over
• observe
• overlook
• oversee
• review
• scan
• supervise