inquisition

in·qui·si·tion

noun \ˌin-kwə-ˈzi-shən, ˌiŋ-\

Definition of INQUISITION

1

: the act of inquiring : examination

2

: a judicial or official inquiry or examination usually before a jury; also : the finding of the jury

3

a capitalized : a former Roman Catholic tribunal for the discovery and punishment of heresy b : an investigation conducted with little regard for individual rights c : a severe questioning

— in·qui·si·tion·al \-ˈzi-sh(ə-)n^əl\ adjective

Examples of INQUISITION

1. His political enemies were conducting an inquisition into the details of his personal life.
2. <there's no need to conduct an inquisition about so trivial a matter>

Origin of INQUISITION

Middle English inquisicioun, from Anglo-French inquisition, from Latin inquisition-, inquisitio, from inquirere

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to INQUISITION

Synonyms: delving, disquisition, examen, examination, exploration, inquest, inquiry, investigation, probation, probe, probing, research, study

Related Words: quest; audit, check; checkup, diagnosis, inspection; hearing, interrogation, trial; feeler, query, question; poll, questionary, questionnaire, survey; challenge, cross-examination, going-over, grilling, quiz; rehearing, reinvestigation; self-examination, self-exploration, self-questioning, self-reflection, self-scrutiny, soul-searching

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Other History Terms

agonistic, carpetbagger, enceinte, fief, historiography, paladin

Rhymes with INQUISITION

acoustician, acquisition, admonition, aesthetician, air-condition, ammunition, apparition, apposition, coalition, co-edition, competition, composition, cosmetician, decommission, decondition, definition, demolition, deposition, dietitian, disposition, disquisition, electrician, erudition, exhibition, expedition, exposition, extradition, first edition, imposition, in addition, inanition, in commission, inhibition, intermission, intromission, intuition, linguistician, logistician, malnutrition, malposition, manumission, mathematician, mechanician, micturition, obstetrician, on commission, opposition, Ordovician, parturition, politician, precognition, precondition, premonition, preposition, proposition, recognition, recondition, repetition, requisition, rescue mission, rhetorician, self-ignition, statistician, submunition, superstition, supposition, text edition, trade edition, transposition