inquest
noun
in·quest
ˈin-ˌkwest 
1
a
: a judicial or official inquiry or examination especially before a jury
a coroner's inquest
b
: a body of people (such as a jury) assembled to hold such an inquiry
c
: the finding of the jury upon such inquiry or the document recording it
2
Examples of inquest in a Sentence
The court has ordered an inquest into his death.
the police conducted an inquest into the case
Recent Examples on the Web
The bodies of 29-year-old Hajra Zahid and 25-year-old Haleema Zahid were removed from the pools on the Watkin Path in Eryri National Park in North Wales on Wednesday, June 11, officials said at an inquest, according to The Telegraph and the BBC.
—
Abigail Adams, People.com, 19 June 2025
At the inquest, the jury identified the assassins, but that didn't result in justice.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
The inquest into the death of the Waukegan woman found frozen on a local hospital’s roof has been delayed, according to Lake County authorities.
—Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
An inquest was also opened with a hearing scheduled for Warrington Coroners' Court in the U.K. March 28.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inquest
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Abigail Adams, People.com, 19 June 2025
At the inquest, the jury identified the assassins, but that didn't result in justice.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
The inquest into the death of the Waukegan woman found frozen on a local hospital’s roof has been delayed, according to Lake County authorities.
—Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
An inquest was also opened with a hearing scheduled for Warrington Coroners' Court in the U.K. March 28.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inquest
Cite this Entry
“Inquest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inquest. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inquest
noun
in·quest
ˈin-ˌkwest
: a judicial or official investigation
Medical Definition
inquest
noun
in·quest
ˈin-ˌkwest
: a judicial or official inquiry especially before a jury to determine the cause of a violent or unexpected death
a coroner's inquest
Legal Definition
inquest
noun
in·quest
ˈin-ˌkwest
1
: a judicial or official inquiry or examination often before a jury
a coroner's inquest
compare trial
2
: a body of people (as a jury) assembled to hold a judicial or official inquiry
also
: the finding of such an inquiry or the document recording it
Etymology
Anglo-French enqueste, from Old French, ultimately from Latin inquirere to ask about, from in- within, into + quaerere to seek
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