# inquire

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪnˈkwaɪə/ · frequency rank #17,646

## Definitions
1. To ask (about something).
2. To make an inquiry or an investigation.
3. To call; to name.

## Etymology
From Latin inquīrō (“to seek for”), composed of in- (“in, at, on; into”) + quaerō (“I seek, look for”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”). Displaced Middle English enqueren (from Old French enquerre, of the same source) and native Middle English speir (“ask, inquire”).

## Easily confused with
- **insure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inquire-vs-insure)
- **inquiry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inquire-vs-inquiry)
- **inspire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inquire-vs-inspire)
- **inquired** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inquire-vs-inquired)
- **inquirer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inquire-vs-inquirer)
- **inquiries** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inquire-vs-inquiries)
- **injure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/injure-vs-inquire)

## Common misspellings (9)
`innquire`, `inqiure`, `inqquire`, `inquier`, `inquirre`, `inqurie`, `inuqire`, `iqnuire`, `niquire`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/inquire