inquisitive

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: in=quis=i=tive

CIDE DICTIONARY

inquisitive, a. [OE. inquisitif, F. inquisitif.].

•  Disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer.  [1913 Webster]

  "A wise man is not inquisitive about things impertinent."  [1913 Webster]
•  Given to examination, investigation, or research; searching; curious.  [1913 Webster]

  "A young, inquisitive, and sprightly genius."

  "[We] curious are to hear,
  What happens new."  [1913 Webster]

  "This folio of four pages [a newspaper], happy work!
  Which not even critics criticise; that holds
  Inquisitive attention, while I read."  [1913 Webster]

  "Nor need we with a prying eye survey
  The distant skies, to find the Milky Way."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Inquiring; prying; curious; meddling; intrusive.

inquisitive, n. 

 A person who is inquisitive; one curious in research.  Sir W. Temple.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

inquisitive, adj.
1 unduly curious; prying.
2 seeking knowledge; inquiring.

Derivative

inquisitively adv. inquisitiveness n.

Etymology

ME f. OF inquisitif -ive f. LL inquisitivus (as INQUISITION)

THESAURUS

inquisitive

agape, agog, all agog, analytical, burning with curiosity, busy, busybody, consumed with curiosity, curious, exploring, forward, ghoulish, gossipy, impertinent, inquiring, inquisitorial, interested, intrusive, investigative, itchy, meddlesome, meddling, morbid, morbidly curious, nosy, officious, open-eyed, openmouthed, overcurious, presumptuous, probing, prurient, prying, pushing, pushy, questioning, quizzical, scopophiliac, searching, self-appointed, snooping, snoopy, supercurious, voyeuristic

ROGET THESAURUS

inquisitive

Curiosity

N curiosity, interest, thirst for knowledge, thirst for truth, curiosity, curiousness, inquiring mind, inquisitiveness, omnivorous intellect, devouring mind, inquirer, sightseer, quidnunc, newsmonger, Paul Pry, eavesdropper, gossip, rubberneck, intellectual, seeker, seeker after truth, curious, inquisitive, burning with curiosity, overcurious, inquiring, prying, snoopy, nosy, peering, prurient, inquisitorial, inquisitory, curious as a cat, agape, what's the matter? what next? consumed with curios, curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back, curiouser and curiouser.

Inquiry

N inquiry, request, search, research, quest, pursuit, examination, review, scrutiny, investigation, indagation, perquisition, perscrutation, pervestigation, inquest, inquisition, exploration, exploitation, ventilation, sifting, calculation, analysis, dissection, resolution, induction, Baconian method, strict inquiry, close inquiry, searching inquiry, exhaustive inquiry, narrow search, strict search, study, scire facias, ad referendum, trial, questioning, interrogation, interrogatory, interpellation, challenge, examination, cross-examination, catechism, feeler, Socratic method, zetetic philosophy, leading question, discussion, reconnoitering, reconnaissance, prying, espionage, espionnage, domiciliary visit, peep behind the curtain, lantern of Diogenes, question, query, problem, desideratum, point to be solved, porism, subject of inquiry, field of inquiry, subject of controversy, point in dispute, matter in dispute, moot point, issue, question at issue, bone of contention, plain question, fair question, open question, enigma, knotty point, quodlibet, threshold of an inquiry, inquirer, investigator, inquisitor, inspector, querist, examiner, catechist, scrutator scrutineer scrutinizer, analyst, quidnunc, inquiry, inquisitive, requisitive, requisitory, catechetical, inquisitorial, analytic, in search of, in quest of, on the lookout for, interrogative, zetetic, all searching, undetermined, untried, undecided, in question, in dispute, in issue, in course of inquiry, under discussion, under consideration, under investigation, sub judice, moot, proposed, doubtful, quaere?, what?, why?, wherefore?, whence?, whither?, where?, how comes it?, how happens it?, how is it?, what is the reason?, what's the matter?, nicht wahr?, what's in the wind?, what on earth?, when?, who?.