Agency Dictionary
Inquisitive
adjectivePronunciation: /ɪnˈkwɪz.ɪ.tɪv/
In Portuguese: Curioso
Creativity & Learning
Psychology & MindWhat does “Inquisitive” mean?
Eager for knowledge, curious, and given to systematic investigation and inquiry.
Etymology
From Old French inquisitif, from Late Latin inquisitivus, from Latin inquisitus, past participle of inquirere, "to seek into, to investigate", from in- ("into") and quaerere ("to seek"). The word entered English in the late 14th century with the sense of eager to learn or examine.
Usage note
Inquisitive is usually positive (eager to learn), while nosy and prying are negative (intrusively curious). The English and Portuguese terms differ: inquisitive maps to Latin inquirere, while curioso maps to Latin curiosus.
Synonyms
- curious
- inquiring
- probing
- nosy
- prying
Word family
- inquisition
- inquire
- inquiry
- inquisitor
Rhymes with
- acquisitive
Usage examples
Now tell us a little bit about your academic journey, when did you realize that nothing could better fulfill your aspirations than being able to design and create new products through inquisitive and creative industrial design.
Concepts
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Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
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- Affectnoun
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- anesthetizedadjective
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Also from these editions: terms
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- Frenzynoun
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- Prototypenoun
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- Settlementnoun
- A small community or newly established village formed by migrating individuals settling in an area.
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