First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
inquisition
noun in·qui·si·tion \ˌin-kwə-ˈzi-shən, ˌiŋ-\
the Inquisition : an organization in the Roman Catholic Church in the past that was responsible for finding and punishing people who did not accept its beliefs and practices
: a harsh and unfair investigation or series of questions
Full Definition of INQUISITION
1
: the act of inquiring : examination
2
: a judicial or official inquiry or examination usually before a jury; also : the finding of the jury
3
a capitalized : a former Roman Catholic tribunal for the discovery and punishment of heresy b : an investigation conducted with little regard for individual rights c : a severe questioning
— in·qui·si·tion·al \-ˈzi-sh(ə-)nəl\ adjective
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Origin of INQUISITION
Middle English inquisicioun, from Anglo-French inquisition, from Latin inquisition-, inquisitio, from inquirere
Related to INQUISITION
- Synonyms
- delving, disquisition, examen, examination, exploration, inquest, inquiry, investigation, probation, probe, probing, research, study
Other History Terms
Rhymes with INQUISITION
acoustician, acquisition, admonition, aesthetician, air-condition, ammunition, apparition, apposition, coalition, co-edition, competition, composition, cosmetician, decommission, decondition, definition, demolition, deposition, dietitian, disposition, disquisition, electrician, erudition, exhibition, expedition, exposition, extradition, first edition, imposition, in addition, inanition, in commission, inhibition, intermission, intromission, intuition, linguistician, logistician, malnutrition, malposition, manumission, mathematician, mechanician, micturition, obstetrician, on commission, opposition, Ordovician, parturition, politician, precognition, precondition, premonition, preposition, proposition, recognition, recondition, repetition, requisition, rescue mission, rhetorician, self-ignition, statistician, submunition, superstition, supposition, text edition, trade edition, transposition
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