a question; an inquiry. a question; an inquiry. mental reservation; doubt. mental reservation; doubt. Printing. a question mark (?), especially as added on a manuscript, proof sheet, or the like, indicating doubt as to some point in the text. Printing. a question mark (?), especially as added on a manuscript, proof sheet, or the like, indicating doubt as to some point in the text. an inquiry from a writer to an editor of a magazine, newspaper, etc., regarding the acceptability of or interest in an idea for an article, news story, or the like: usually presented in the form of a letter that outlines or describes the projected piece. an inquiry from a writer to an editor of a magazine, newspaper, etc., regarding the acceptability of or interest in an idea for an article, news story, or the like: usually presented in the form of a letter that outlines or describes the projected piece. verb (used with object) queries , present (3rd person singular) queried , past participle, past querying present participle to ask or inquire about. No one queried his presence. to ask or inquire about. No one queried his presence. to question as doubtful or obscure. to query a statement. to question as doubtful or obscure. to query a statement. Printing. to mark (a manuscript, proof sheet, etc.) with a query. Printing. to mark (a manuscript, proof sheet, etc.) with a query. to ask questions of. to ask questions of. a question, esp one expressing doubt, uncertainty, or an objection a question, esp one expressing doubt, uncertainty, or an objection a less common name for question mark a less common name for question mark to express uncertainty, doubt, or an objection concerning (something) to express uncertainty, doubt, or an objection concerning (something) to express as a query "What's up now?" she queried to express as a query "What's up now?" she queried to put a question to (a person); ask to put a question to (a person); ask Other Word Forms outquery verb (used with object) unqueried adjective queryingly adverb Inflected Forms querying present Conjugated Forms have queried perfect has queried perfect am querying progressive are querying progressive is querying progressive have been querying perfect progressive has been querying perfect progressive had queried perfect was querying progressive were querying progressive had been querying perfect progressive will query simple will have queried perfect will be querying progressive will have been querying perfect progressive Origin of query

First recorded in 1625–35; alteration (with the influence of -y 3 ) of earlier quere, from Latin quaere quaere A query is a question, or the search for a piece of information. The Latin root quaere means "to ask" and it's the basis of the words inquiry , question , quest , request , and query . Query often fits the bill when referring to Internet searches, polite professional discourse, and subtle pleas. You could query as to the whereabouts of the lavatory, but you'd sound a bit prim and be better off asking "Where's the toilet?" If your job entails dealing with annoying questions and complaints, you could make it sound better by proclaiming, "I respond to customer queries ." Vocabulary lists containing query For Grilled Cheese Day, Vocab with a Twist Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide! Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use! Where the Red Fern Grows Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time! Example Sentences Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com. See Examples For: Before retiring the officer provided a statement that he had called her to advise of the intended police response to a media query, and about how information about the case could be reported and used. From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it opened an audit query to examine the process and technical data Tesla used to certify the Cybercab. From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026 Mary Johnson, an independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst, said asking specific questions can be more helpful than simply inputting a general query when using AI tools. From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026 The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a query for comment. From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026 “I’m not exposing our size in numbers,” he evaded the query of one reporter. From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey A county judge has even complained that Paxton’s office is not responding in a timely manner to queries about how the state wishes to proceed in court, now that multiple hemp businesses have filed lawsuits. From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2026 “We’re aware that some people are modifying their search queries, and we’re monitoring this behavior as we continue to evaluate ways to improve the search and ads experience,” a Pinterest spokesperson said in an email. From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026 The US Trade Representative's office did not respond to queries on the matter. From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026 And those are queries that must be addressed because, whether we like it or not, even dystopian rom-coms might point us in the right — or even new — direction. From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026 He thanked them for his food, encouraged them to talk about their hopes and histories, answered their questions politely, and never pressed too hard with queries of his own. From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin Monday’s research queried people about their jobs, how often they use AI and how they use it. From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026 Some have queried if it would be merited. From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026 We queried experts across sports medicine, personal training and physical therapy to devise easy routines comprising simple exercises you can do at home to test and train your balance. From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026 When queried by AFP about the Washington Post report, the White House sent a statement defending the new plane's safety. From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026 Sick about Sammy, I queried from bar to bar among old- timers for West Indian Archie. From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey After his side's opening 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia in Miami on Monday, he was unimpressed with journalists querying his stance, amid suggestions it might be some kind of protest. From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026 They found that such acceptance becomes more likely if the person is under time pressure, faces a complex task or doesn’t have a good understanding of what they are querying, among other factors. From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026 An October 2025 report from the Justice Department Inspector General found that the FBI has “implemented all of RISAA’s querying reforms” and that the number of noncompliant queries had been “reduced substantially.” From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026 "These actors generally sought to use OpenAI services for querying open-source information, translating, finding coding errors, and running basic coding tasks," the firm said at the time. From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2025 With a querying look on his face, he said, “I’m afraid I don’t understand. I thought you always wanted to go to town.” From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023 Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. 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