inquisitive definition | Dictionary.com

Synonyms

inquiring, curious, interested, intrusive, meddlesome, meddling, nosey, nosy, prying, analytical, forward, impertinent

More Synonyms»

Nearby Entries

inquisitive - 6 dictionary results

in⋅quis⋅i⋅tive

[in-kwiz-i-tiv]

–adjective

1.	given to inquiry, research, or asking questions; eager for knowledge; intellectually curious: an inquisitive mind.

2.	unduly or inappropriately curious; prying.

–noun

3.	an inquisitive person: thick curtains to frustrate inquisitives.

Origin:
1350–1400; < LL inquīsītīvus, equiv. to L inquīsīt(us) (see inquisition ) + -īvus -ive; r. ME inquisitif < MF < LL, as above

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source

Language Translation for : inquisitive

Spanish:

curioso, preguntón,

German:

neugierig,

Japanese:

せんさく好きな

View 30 other languages »

in·quis·i·tive (ĭn-kwĭz'ĭ-tĭv) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Inclined to investigate; eager for knowledge.
Unduly curious and inquiring. See Synonyms at curious.

[Middle English inquisitif, from Old French, from Late Latin inquīsītīvus, from Latin inquīsītus, past participle of inquīrere, to inquire; see inquire.]

in·quis'i·tive·ly adv., in·quis'i·tive·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

inquisitive

c.1386, from O.Fr. inquisitif, from L.L. inquisitivus "making inquiry," from L. inquisitus, pp. of inquirere (see inquire).

"An housbonde shal nat been Inquisityf of goddes pryuetee nor of his wyf." [Chaucer, "Miller's Prologue"]

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

inquisitive
adjective
1.	showing curiosity; "if someone saw a man climbing a light post they might get inquisitive"; "raised a speculative eyebrow"
2.	inquiring or appearing to inquire; "an inquiring look"; "the police are proverbially inquisitive"

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source

Inquisitive

Cu"ri*ous\ (k?"r?-?s), a. [OF. curios, curius, F. curieux, L. curiosus careful, inquisitive, fr. cura care. See Cure.]

1. Difficult to please or satisfy; solicitous to be correct; careful; scrupulous; nice; exact. [Obs.]

Little curious in her clothes. --Fuller.

How shall we, If he be curious, work upon his faith? --Beau. & Fl.

2. Exhibiting care or nicety; artfully constructed; elaborate; wrought with elegance or skill.

To devise curious works. --Ex. xxxv. 32

His body couched in a curious bed. --Shak.

3. Careful or anxious to learn; eager for knowledge; given to research or inquiry; habitually inquisitive; prying; -- sometimes with after or of.

It is a pity a gentleman so very curious after things that were elegant and beautiful should not have been as curious as to their origin, their uses, and their natural history. --Woodward.

4. Exciting attention or inquiry; awakening surprise; inviting and rewarding inquisitiveness; not simple or plain; strange; rare. "Acurious tale" --Shak.

A multitude of curious analogies. --Macaulay.

Many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore. --E. A. Poe.

Abstruse investigations in recondite branches of learning or sciense often bring to light curious results. --C. J. Smith.

Curious arts, magic. [Obs.]

Many . . . which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them. --Acts xix. 19.

Syn: Inquisitive; prying. See Inquisitive.

Inquisitive

In*quis"i*tive\, a. [OE. inquisitif, F. inquisitif.]

1. Disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer.

A wise man is not inquisitive about things impertinent. --Broome.

2. Given to examination, investigation, or research; searching; curious.

A young, inquisitive, and sprightly genius. --I. Watts.

Syn: Inquiring; prying; curious; meddling; intrusive.

Usage: Inquisitive, Curious, Prying. Curious denotes a feeling, and inquisitive a habit. We are curious when we desire to learn something new; we are inquisitive when we set ourselves to gain it by inquiry or research. Prying implies inquisitiveness, and is more commonly used in a bad sense, as indicating a desire to penetrate into the secrets of others.

[We] curious are to hear, What happens new. --Milton.

This folio of four pages [a newspaper], happy work! Which not even critics criticise; that holds Inquisitive attention, while I read. --Cowper.

Nor need we with a prying eye survey The distant skies, to find the Milky Way. --Creech.

Search another word or see inquisitive on Thesaurus | Reference | Translate

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Link to Us · Report Ad · Contact Us

Get your FREE Subscription to Dictionary.com Word of the Day