inquisitive
/ɪŋˈkwɪzətɪv/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.98 in modern English
23
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Eager to acquire knowledge; acquisitive.
adj
Too curious; overly interested; nosy.
Example Sentences
- "[…] a young, inquiſitive and ſprightly Genius; […]"
- "A wiſe man is not inquiſitive about things impertinent; […]"
- "Huddled together in loathsome files, they squat there over night, or until an inquisitive policeman breaks up the congregation with his club, which in Mulberry Street has always free swing."
- "No, no, Bertha; we must not give them reason to say that their neighbours are inquisitive."
- "― Everybody gets their own ration of luck, they say. Now you mention it his face was familiar to me. But leaving that for the moment, how much did you part with, he queried, if I am not too inquisitive?"
Etymology
Late 14th century, from Old French inquisitif, from Late Latin inquisitivus, from Latin inquisitus, past participle of inquirere. See also inquire.
Origin
- Source language: Old French
Word Breakdown
- Root: inquisitif, inquisitivus, inquisitus
Inflected Forms
more inquisitive (comparative)
most inquisitive (superlative)