# question

Pronunciation: say "KWES-chuhn" /ˈkwɛs.tʃən/

## Noun

1. A sentence, phrase, or single word that asks for information, a reply, or a response.
   - Simple: A sentence or set of words that asks for information or an answer.
   - _She raised her hand to ask a difficult question._
   - _The reporter's questions made the politician visibly uncomfortable._
2. A matter or subject that needs to be discussed, decided, or investigated, including a proposal put to a meeting for a vote.
   - Simple: A subject or problem that people need to talk about or decide.
   - _The committee turned to the question of funding for next year._
   - _Economists have long studied the question of inflation._
5. Uncertainty about something's truth, accuracy, or validity, or an objection that calls any of these into doubt.
   - Simple: A doubt about whether something is true or correct.
   - _The lawyer raised a serious question about the validity of the contract._
   - _There remains a real question over the accuracy of the data._

## Verb

3. To raise or have doubts about the truth, accuracy, or correctness of something.
   - Simple: To have or show doubts about whether something is true, right, or correct.
   - _Investors question whether the company can survive another year._
   - _Critics questioned the accuracy of the official report._
4. To ask someone questions, especially officially or in detail, in order to find something out.
   - Simple: To ask someone questions to find out information, as the police do.
   - _Detectives question witnesses to piece together what happened._
   - _The committee questioned the minister for several hours._

## Noun

6. Interrogation carried out by means of torture. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: In past times, the use of pain or torture to make someone answer.
   - _The accused heretic was subjected to the question before the tribunal._
   - _In medieval Europe, an accused person could be put to the question until the judges heard a confession._
7. Talk, conversation, or speech generally. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Talk or conversation between people.

## Verb

8. To argue, converse, or dispute with another. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To talk with or argue with someone.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–2, 5–7** — It entered Middle English via Anglo-Norman and Old French question, from Latin quaestiō ("a seeking, investigation, inquiry"), from quaerere ("to seek, ask, inquire"). The ultimate origin is uncertain, but it possibly goes back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to acquire." It is related to English quest and partly displaced the native Old English word āscung.
**Meanings 3–4, 8** — The verb comes from Middle English questionen, which grew partly out of the noun question and partly out of the Middle French verb questionner.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/question (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).