question

CEFRA1

/ˈkwɛs.tʃən/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A sentence or request used to ask for information.

  2. 02

    verb

    To ask someone for information or express doubt.

Examples

  • Do you really need to ask the question to know the answer?

  • I need to ask you a silly question.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈk(ʋ)ɵ-/
  • /ˈkʋɛs.tʃən/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.

  2. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.

  3. A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.

More examples

In context

  • Police are keen to question any witnesses.

  • The question of seniority will be discussed at the meeting.

  • There was a question of which material to use.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The teacher asked a difficult blank in class that no student could answer.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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