question

English Online Dictionary. What means question‎? What does question mean?

English

Alternative forms

• quæstion (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English question, questioun, questiun, 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”). Displaced native Middle English frain, fraign (“question”) (from Old English fræġn); compare Middle English frainen, freinen ("to inquire, question"; > Modern English frain), Middle English afrainen, affrainen (“to question”), German fragen (“to ask”) and Frage (“question”). Compare also Middle Low German quēstie (“questioning; inquiry”), Middle High German questje (“question”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwɛst͡ʃən/, /ˈkwɛstjən/, /ˈkwɛʃt͡ʃən/
• (US also) IPA^(key): /ˈkwɛʃtən/
• Hyphenation: ques‧tion

Noun

question (plural questions)

1. A sentence, phrase or word which asks for information, reply or response; an interrogative.

2. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
3. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.

   • There arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

   • 1623, Francis Bacon, An Advertisement touching an Holy War

     It is to be to question, whether it be lawful for Christian princes or states to make an invasive war, only and simply for the propagation of the faith.
4. A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.

5. (now archaic, historical, chiefly with definite article) Interrogation by torture.
   • 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, vol. II, ch. 77:

     I, not at all ambitious of the crown of martyrdom, resolved to temporize: so that, when I was brought to the question the second time, I made a solemn recantation […] .
6. (obsolete) Talk; conversation; speech.

Synonyms

• (interrogative): inquiry, enquiry, query, interrogation
• (subject): subject, topic, problem, consideration, proposition
• (doubt): issue, doubt
• (proposal): proposal

Derived terms

Related terms

• query
• quest

Translations

Verb

question (third-person singular simple present questions, present participle questioning, simple past and past participle questioned)

1. (transitive) To ask questions about; to interrogate; to enquire for information.
   • 1597, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse

     He that questioneth much shall learn much.

2. (transitive) To raise doubts about; have doubts about.
   • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     He questioned South Korean claims that China is a major source of its pollution.

3. (intransitive, obsolete) To argue; to converse; to dispute.

Synonyms

• frain

Derived terms

• questioner

Translations

See also

• answer
• ask
• interrogative

References

• question in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• question at OneLook Dictionary Search

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French

Alternative forms

• quæstion (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old French question, borrowed from Latin quaestiō, quaestiōnem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɛs.tjɔ̃/
• Rhymes: -jɔ̃

Noun

question f (plural questions)

1. a question
2. a matter or issue; a problem

Derived terms

• hors de question
• mettre en question

Further reading

• “question” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• quêtions, toniques

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Interlingua

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kwesˈtjon/

Noun

question (plural questiones)

1. question

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Middle English

Noun

question

1. Alternative form of questioun

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Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin quaestiō, quaestiōnem.

Noun

question f (oblique plural questions, nominative singular question, nominative plural questions)

1. question (verbal statement intended to elicit a response)
2. question (problem in need of resolution)

Descendants

• → Middle English: questioun, question, questiun, questyon, questyounn, qwestyon, qwestioun
  • English: question
  • Scots: quaisten, quastin
  • → Welsh: cwestiwn
• French: question
  • → Romanian: chestie, chestiune
• Norman: tchestchion (Jersey)

References

• question on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub