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question¹

  • /ˈkwɛs.tʃən/ UK, US
  • /ˈkwɛs.tjən/ UK, US
  • /ˈkwɛʃ.tʃən/ UK, US
  • /ˈkwɛʃ.tən/ US, also
  • /ˈkʋɛs.tʃən/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛʃ.tʃən/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛʃ.ən/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛs.ʈᵻn/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛʃ.ʈᵻn/ South Asia
  • /ˈk(ʋ)ɵ-/ South Asia
  • /ˈkwɛ.ʃən/ Hong Kong
  • /ˈkwɛʔ.ʃən/ Hong Kong

Rhymes with -ɛstʃən

Where it comes from

From Middle English questioun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaestiōnem, accusative of quaestiō (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”). Doublet of quest.

Partially displaced native Old English āscung, whence asking. Compare also Middle Low German quēstie (“questioning; inquiry”), Middle High German questje (“question”).

noun questions · quæstion

  1. A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative. What is your question?

    Similar: inquiry, enquiry, query, interrogation

  2. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation. The question of seniority will be discussed at the meeting.

    Similar: subject, topic, problem, consideration, proposition

  3. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter. His claim to the property has come under question.

    Similar: issue, doubt

  4. A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation. I move that the question be put to a vote.

    Similar: proposal

  5. archaic, historical, with definite article Interrogation by torture. I, not at all ambitious of the crown of martyrdom, resolved to temporize: so that, when I was brought to the question the second time, I made a solemn recantation […]
  6. obsolete Talk; conversation; speech. Made she no verbal question?

question²

  • /ˈkwɛs.tʃən/ UK, US
  • /ˈkwɛs.tjən/ UK, US
  • /ˈkwɛʃ.tʃən/ UK, US
  • /ˈkwɛʃ.tən/ US, also
  • /ˈkʋɛs.tʃən/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛʃ.tʃən/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛʃ.ən/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛs.ʈᵻn/ South Asia
  • /ˈkʋɛʃ.ʈᵻn/ South Asia
  • /ˈk(ʋ)ɵ-/ South Asia
  • /ˈkwɛ.ʃən/ Hong Kong
  • /ˈkwɛʔ.ʃən/ Hong Kong

Rhymes with -ɛstʃən

Where it comes from

From Middle English questionen, questyonen, partly from Middle French questionner and partly from the noun.

verb questions · questioning · questioned · quæstion

  1. transitive To ask questions of; to interrogate; to ask for information. Yet he lingered in Perryville with the determination of seeing Ruth, and questioning her about Helen Murray's letters.

    Similar: query

  2. transitive To raise doubts about; have doubts about. Question things. I have the most fun when I'm writing questioning things that people do not question- the assumptions that everybody knows are true.

    Similar: query, contest

  3. intransitive To ask a question or questions; inquire or seek to know; examine. He that questioneth much shall learn much.
  4. intransitive, obsolete To argue; to converse; to dispute. I pray you, think you question with the Jew.

Similar: frain, quaeritate

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: interrogative, inquiry, interrogation, query, enquiry, interrogate, interview, oppugn, motion, wonder, doubt, dubiousness, doubtfulness, head, interrogative sentence, asking

verb

Similar: frain, quaeritate

Translations

Every language

noun sentence, phrase or word

Españolpregunta, cuestión, interrogante
한국어질문 jilmun
日本語質問 shitsumon
中文問題 /问题 wèntí
हिन्दीप्रश्न praśna, सवाल savāl
Kiswahiliswali
Portuguêsquestão, pergunta
Françaisquestion
DeutschFrage, Anfrage
Italianodomanda
Ελληνικάερώτηση erótisi, ερώτημα erótima
Românăîntrebare
Русскийвопро́с voprós
Tiếng Việtcâu hỏi
العربيةسُؤَال suʔāl
עבריתשְׁאֵלָה she'elá

noun subject or topic — see also topic

Españoltema, asunto, cuestión
हिन्दीविषय viṣay
Kiswahiliswali
Portuguêsquestão, tema
Françaisquestion
DeutschFrage
Italianoquestione
Ελληνικάερώτημα erótima
Русскийвопро́с voprós, предме́т predmét
العربيةمَسْأَلَة masʔala
עבריתשְׁאֵלָה sh'elá

noun doubt or challenge — see also doubt

Españolcuestión, incógnita, interrogante
中文疑問 /疑问 yíwèn, 質詢 /质询 zhìxún, 质问 zhìwèn, 质疑 zhìyí
हिन्दीसंदेह sandeh
Kiswahiliswali
Portuguêsquestão
Françaisdoute
DeutschFrage, Zweifel
Ελληνικάαπορία aporía
Русскийсомне́ние somnénije

noun proposal to a meeting as a topic for discussion and vote — see also motion

Españolcuestión, asunto, tema
Françaismotion
DeutschFrage, Anfrage
Ελληνικάερώτημα erótima

noun interrogation by torture

中文拷问 kǎowèn, 审问 shěnwèn, 审讯 shěnxùn
Françaisquestion
Ελληνικάανάκριση anákrisi
Русскийдопро́с doprós

verb ask questions of

Españolpreguntar, cuestionar
Kiswahilikuuliza
Portuguêsquestionar
Françaisquestionner, interroger
Deutschfragen, hinterfragen, befragen
Italianochiedere
Ελληνικάρωτάω rotáo
Românăîntreba
Русскийрасспра́шивать rassprášivatʹ, расспроси́ть rassprosítʹ, допра́шивать doprášivatʹ, допроси́ть doprosítʹ

verb raise doubts about — see also doubt

Españolcuestionar, poner en tela de juicio
中文懷疑 /怀疑 huáiyí
Portuguêsquestionar
Françaismettre en doute, douter de, mettre en question, remettre en question
Deutschanzweifeln, bezweifeln, infrage stellen, in Frage stellen
Italianomettere in dubbio, interrogarsi, mettere in discussione
Ελληνικάαμφισβητώ amfisvitó
Русскийста́вить под вопро́с stávitʹ pod voprós

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Cite this
MLA

"question." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/question. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

question. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/question

Chicago

"question." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/question.

BibTeX
@misc{question_2026,
  title = {question},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/question},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}