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question

/ˈkwɛs.tʃən/ (UK, US)/ˈkwɛs.tjən/ (UK, US)/ˈkwɛʃ.tʃən/ (UK, US)syllables: ques·tion
  • noun
  • verb
  • from Anglo-Norman

A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “question” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

noun · etymology 1

  1. A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.

    What is your question?

  2. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.

    The question of seniority will be discussed at the meeting.

  3. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.

    His claim to the property has come under question.

  4. A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.

    I move that the question be put to a vote.

Older & obsolete senses (2)
  1. archaichistoricalwith-definite-articleInterrogation by torture.
  2. obsoleteTalk; conversation; speech.
Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

verb · etymology 2

  1. transitiveTo ask questions of; to interrogate; to ask for information.

    Yet he lingered in Perryville with the determination of seeing Ruth, and questioning her about Helen Murray's letters.1836, Frederick W. Thomas, East and West, volume 2:

  2. transitiveTo raise doubts about; have doubts about.

    Question things. I have the most fun when I'm writing questioning things that people do not question- the assumptions that everybody knows are true.1985 April 17, Frank Herbert, 15:46 from the start, in Frank Herbert speaking at UCLA 4/17/1985, UCLACommStudies, archived from the original on 10 Feb 2017:

  3. intransitiveTo ask a question or questions; inquire or seek to know; examine.

    He that questioneth much shall learn much.1597, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse:

Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. intransitiveobsoleteTo argue; to converse; to dispute.
Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (11)
  1. nounan instance of questioning — also: inquiry, enquiry, query, interrogation
  2. nounthe subject matter at issue — also: head
  3. nouna sentence of inquiry that asks for a reply — also: interrogation, interrogative, interrogative sentence
  4. noununcertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something — also: doubt, dubiousness, doubtfulness
  5. nouna formal proposal for action made to a deliberative assembly for discussion and vote — also: motion
  6. nounan informal reference to a marriage proposal
  7. verbchallenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of — also: oppugn, call into question
  8. verbpose a series of questions to — also: interrogate
  9. verbpose a question — also: query
  10. verbconduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting — also: interview
  11. verbplace in doubt or express doubtful speculation — also: wonder
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: frain, quaeritate

Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

Etymology 1 (noun)

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)question
  2. Middle Englishquestioun
  3. Anglo-Normanquestiun
  4. Old Frenchquestion
  5. Latinquaestiōnem
  6. Latinquaerere “to seek, ask, inquire”
  7. Proto-Italic*kʷaizeō
  8. Proto-Indo-European*kʷeh₂- “to acquire”

From Middle English questioun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaestiōnem, accusative of quaestiō (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”). Doublet of quest.

Partially displaced native Old English āscung, whence asking. Compare also Middle Low German quēstie (“questioning; inquiry”), Middle High German questje (“question”).

Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Etymology 2 (verb)

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)question
  2. Middle Englishquestionen
  3. Middle Frenchquestionner
  4. Middle Frenchthe

From Middle English questionen, questyonen, partly from Middle French questionner and partly from the noun.

Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “question”

counterquestioncross-questionFAQmetaquestionmidquestionnonquestionquestionablequestionaryquestion-beggingquestioneequestionfulquestionistquestionizequestionlessquestion-masterquestionnairequestionwiserequestionsubquestionunquestionableunquestionablyWH-questionwh-questionoutquestionquestionabilityquestioner

Phrases & compounds

$1,000,000 questionacademic questionAdriatic Questiona question ofArmenian QuestionArmenian questionask a stupid questionask the questionbeggar the questionbegging the questionbeg the questionbeyond questionbinary questionbonus questionburning questioncall into questioncall the questionchicken and egg questionchicken-and-egg questionchicken-or-egg question

Related terms

queryquestansweraskinterrogative
Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “question” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “question” came from before it was English.

Etymology 1 (noun)

Came into English from
Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman questiun
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin quaerere “to seek, ask, inquire”
Deepest root (reconstructed)
Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- “to acquire”

The source marks part of this history as uncertain (it uses words like “perhaps” or “possibly”). Read the full etymology above before treating any single origin as certain.

Etymology 2 (verb)

Came into English from
Middle French
Middle French questionner
Oldest written form
Middle French
Middle French the
Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root
“to acquire”
Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- — rebuilt by linguists from its descendants; never written down.
Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

question n. [F., fr. L. quaestio, fr. quaerere, quaesitum, to seek for, ask, inquire. See Quest, n.]

  1. The act of asking; interrogation; inquiry; as, to examine by question and answer.
  2. Discussion; debate; hence, objection; dispute; doubt; as, the story is true beyond question; he obeyed without question.
  3. Examination with reference to a decisive result; investigation; specifically, a judicial or official investigation; also, examination under torture.
  4. That which is asked; inquiry; interrogatory; query.

question v. i. [Cf. F. questionner. See Question, n.]

  1. To ask questions; to inquire.
  2. To argue; to converse; to dispute.

question v. t.

  1. To inquire of by asking questions; to examine by interrogatories; as, to question a witness.
  2. To doubt of; to be uncertain of; to query.
  3. To raise a question about; to call in question; to make objection to.
  4. To talk to; to converse with.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

nounMeaning: A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.

What is your question?

Can I ask you two a question? / Please, Christ, yes. / How can you two live like this? / How can... / Don't google the question, Moss!2006 February 3, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, season 1, episode 4:

nounMeaning: A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.

The question of seniority will be discussed at the meeting.

There was a question of which material to use.

nounMeaning: A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.

His claim to the property has come under question.

The story is true beyond question.

nounMeaning: A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.

I move that the question be put to a vote.

verbMeaning: To ask questions of; to interrogate; to ask for information.

Yet he lingered in Perryville with the determination of seeing Ruth, and questioning her about Helen Murray's letters.1836, Frederick W. Thomas, East and West, volume 2:

Another former resident noticed the car because it was new and upscale and no one ever came back to question him. This points to serious flaws in the investigation from the beginning.2019, Nic Pizzolatto, “The Hour and the Day”, in True Detective, season 3, episode 4 (television):

verbMeaning: To raise doubts about; have doubts about.

Question things. I have the most fun when I'm writing questioning things that people do not question- the assumptions that everybody knows are true.1985 April 17, Frank Herbert, 15:46 from the start, in Frank Herbert speaking at UCLA 4/17/1985, UCLACommStudies, archived from the original on 10 Feb 2017:

He questioned South Korean claims that China is a major source of its pollution.2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

nounMeaning: an instance of questioning

there was a question about my training

nounMeaning: the subject matter at issue

the question of disease merits serious discussion

nounMeaning: a sentence of inquiry that asks for a reply

he asked a direct question

nounMeaning: uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something

there is no question about the validity of the enterprise

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “question” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 10

Say it, then spell it

question

/ˈkwɛs.tʃən/ · ques·tion

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

question

/ˈkwɛs.tʃən/ · ques·tion · noun, verb

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “question” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (noun) A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.
2. (noun) A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
3. (noun) A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.
4. (noun) A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.
5. (verb) To ask questions of; to interrogate; to ask for information.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“What is your question?”

A. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.
B. A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.
C. To raise doubts about; have doubts about.

Circle the meaning used.

“The question of seniority will be discussed at the meeting.”

A. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
B. To ask a question or questions; inquire or seek to know; examine.
C. A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.

Circle the meaning used.

“His claim to the property has come under question.”

A. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.
B. To ask questions of; to interrogate; to ask for information.
C. A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “question” come into English from?   A. French  B. Anglo-Norman  C. Late Latin  D. Ancient Greek

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “question” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂-. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “question” to mean: A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.
Write a sentence using “question” to mean: A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
Write a sentence using “question” to mean: A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — question

Which meaning, sentence 1: B. A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.

Which meaning, sentence 2: A. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.

Which meaning, sentence 3: A. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.

Origin: B. Anglo-Norman (Anglo-Norman questiun)

Journey: English question ← Middle English questioun ← Anglo-Norman questiun ← Old French question ← Latin quaestiōnem ← Latin quaerere ← Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō ← Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂-

Some derivatives: counterquestion, cross-question, FAQ, metaquestion, midquestion, nonquestion, questionable, questionary

Original meaning: Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- — “to acquire”

Etymology: From Middle English questioun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaestiōnem, accusative of quaestiō (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”). Doublet of quest.

Sources: Wiktionary “question” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/question#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/question