inquisitive
adj/ɪŋˈkwɪzətɪv/ · /ɪnˈkwɪzətɪv/
Etymology Late 14th century, from Old French inquisitif, from Late Latin inquisitivus, from Latin inquisitus, past participle of inquirere. See also inquire.
1
Eager to acquire knowledge; acquisitive.
- […] a young, inquiſitive and ſprightly Genius; […]1741, I[saac] Watts, “Of living Instructions and Lectures, of Teachers and Learners”, in The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC, paragraph III, page 100:
2
Too curious; overly interested; nosy.
- A wiſe man is not inquiſitive about things impertinent; […]1725, Homer, “Book XI”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume III, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, footnote, page 75:
- 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.1890, Jacob A[ugust] Riis, “A Raid on the Stale-beer Dives”, in How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New York, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 77:
2 more examples
- No, no, Bertha; we must not give them reason to say that their neighbours are inquisitive.1892, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “[Beyond the City] The New-comers”, in The Great Shadow and Beyond the City, Bristol: J. W. Arrowsmith, […]; London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., →OCLC, page 157:
- ― 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?1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 16: Eumaeus]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part III [Nostos], page 575:
- Derived terms
- inquisitively, inquisitive monkey, inquisitiveness, noninquisitive, overinquisitive, superinquisitive, uninquisitive
- Related terms
- inquire