# investigate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪnˈvɛs.tə.ɡeɪt/ · frequency rank #4,243

## Definitions
1. To inquire into or study in order to ascertain facts or information.
2. To examine, look into, or scrutinize in order to discover something hidden or secret.
3. To conduct an inquiry or examination.

## Etymology
Recorded since circa 1510, a back-formation from investigation on the basis of -ate (verb-forming suffix), from Latin investīgātiō (“a searching into”), from investīgātus, the perfect passive participle of investīgō, equivalent to in- + vestigate. Displaced native Old English undersēċan (literally “to search under or between”).

## Easily confused with
- **investigator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/investigate-vs-investigator)
- **investigative** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/investigate-vs-investigative)
- **instigate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instigate-vs-investigate)

## Common misspellings (16)
`inevstigate`, `innvestigate`, `invesitgate`, `invesstigate`, `investgiate`, `investiagte`, `investigaet`, `investigatte`, `investiggate`, `investigtae`, `investtigate`, `invetsigate`, `invsetigate`, `invvestigate`, `ivnestigate`, `nivestigate`

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