n.
Pronunciation: ' in- ˌ kwest
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French enqueste, from Vulgar Latin *inquaesta, feminine of *inquaestus, past participle of *inquaerere to inquire
Date: 13th century
1 a : a judicial or official inquiry or examination especially before a jury <a coroner's inquest > b : a body of people (as a jury) assembled to hold such an inquiry c : the finding of the jury upon such inquiry or the document recording it
2 : INQUIRY , INVESTIGATION