inquest
Americannoun
-
a legal or judicial inquiry, usually before a jury, especially an investigation made by a coroner into the cause of a death.
- Synonyms:
- inquisition, hearing
-
the body of people appointed to hold such an inquiry, especially a coroner's jury.
-
the decision or finding based on such inquiry.
-
an investigation or examination.
noun
-
an inquiry into the cause of an unexplained, sudden, or violent death, or as to whether or not property constitutes treasure trove, held by a coroner, in certain cases with a jury
-
informal any inquiry or investigation
Etymology
Origin of inquest
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Medieval Latin inquēsta, equivalent to Latin in- + quaesīta, plural (taken in Medieval Latin as feminine singular) of quaesītum “question”; replacing Middle English enqueste, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin, as above; see in- 2, quest
Explanation
An inquest is when a court of law or a coroner investigates the circumstances of a person's death. If a person in your family dies suddenly, you might attend an inquest at the courthouse. A death doesn't always require an inquest — they are typically carried out when there is something unexplained or suspicious about the way someone died. The inquest might be a step before a murder investigation, for example. Like a trial, a court inquest typically has a verdict issued by a judge, which might be "natural death" or "accidental death." The Old French root word is enqueste, or "inquiry."
Vocabulary lists containing inquest
The Great Gatsby
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And Then There Were None
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The Picture of Dorian Gray
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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.
Wotan and his wife, Fricka, conduct an Ibsen-like marital inquest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The inquest heard that Lloyd's son, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had joined his dad in the lorry that day to gain work experience.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
The inquest heard that Devon Locke, a Scottish Power engineer, had been dispatched to the area to investigate after the supply had been tripped.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
The Finds Liaison Officer or museum curator will then write a report on the find and the coroner will hold an inquest.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
The coroner immediately convened an inquest, during which a jury heard testimony from Daniel Burnham; Frank Burnham; officials of Hercules Iron Works; and various firemen.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
