Etymology 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.
1
A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.
What is your question?
I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter IV, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
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Can I ask you two a question? / Please, Christ, yes. / How can you two live like this? / How can... / Don't google the question, Moss!2006 February 3, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, season 1, episode 4:
When bodies change quickly or noticeably, assumptions often follow—and so does the desire to ask one potentially fraught question: Did medication play a role?2026 January 29, Angela Haupt, “Can I Ask Someone if They’re on Ozempic?”, in TIME, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2026:
2
A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
The question of seniority will be discussed at the meeting.
There was a question of which material to use.
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I've ordered it all, but there’s still the question of who’s going to pay.
The question of the plausibility of the counter-factual is seen as key in all three discussions of allohistorical fiction (as it is in Demandt's and Ferguson's examinations of allohistory) (cf. Rodiek 25–26; Ritter 15–16; Helbig 32).2014 October 14, David Malcolm, “The Great War Re-Remembered: Allohistory and Allohistorical Fiction”, in Martin Löschnigg, Marzena Sokolowska-Paryz, editors, The Great War in Post-Memory Literature and Film, Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG., →ISBN, page 173:
3
A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.
His claim to the property has come under question.
The story is true beyond question.
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He obeyed without question.
There was no question of his blaming me for his frustration.
There arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 3:25:
It is to be to question, whether it be lawful for Christian princes or states to make an invasive war, only and simply for the propagation of the faith.1622 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “An Advertisement Touching an Holy Warre. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC:
4
A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.
I, not at all ambitious of the crown of martyrdom, resolved to temporize: so that, when I was brought to the question the second time, I made a solemn recantation […]1751, [Tobias] Smollett, chapter LXXVII, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume II, London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
The Scottish privy council had power to put state prisoners to the question.1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter II, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
Made she no verbal question?c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
Etymology From Middle English questionen, questyonen, partly from Middle French questionner and partly from the noun.
1
To ask questions of; to interrogate; to ask for information.
Yet he lingered in Perryville with the determination of seeing Ruth, and questioning her about Helen Murray's letters.1836, Frederick W. Thomas, East and West, volume 2:
However, a Carlisle newspaper got hold of the story, and at the half-yearly meeting of the Caledonian Railway Company, held on March 17, 1863, a shareholder, Mr. Meiklem, questioned the Chairman, Lt.-Col. Salkeld, regarding a "Chase of Engines," described in the newspaper article. The Chairman admitted that the statements made in the article were perfectly true.1950 January, David L. Smith, “A Runaway at Beattock”, in Railway Magazine, pages 54–55:
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Another former resident noticed the car because it was new and upscale and no one ever came back to question him. This points to serious flaws in the investigation from the beginning.2019, Nic Pizzolatto, “The Hour and the Day”, in True Detective, season 3, episode 4 (television):
2
To raise doubts about; have doubts about.
Question things. I have the most fun when I'm writing questioning things that people do not question- the assumptions that everybody knows are true.1985 April 17, Frank Herbert, 15:46 from the start, in Frank Herbert speaking at UCLA 4/17/1985, UCLACommStudies, archived from the original on 10 Feb 2017:
He questioned South Korean claims that China is a major source of its pollution.2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
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Isaacson reports that Musk’s fractured relationship with Jenna, who is trans, partly led to Musk’s rightward turn toward libertarianism and questioning what he considers the “woke-mind-virus, which is fundamentally antiscience, antimerit, and antihuman.”2023 September 12, Paul Glader, “Four takeaways from Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk”, in CNN:
3
To ask a question or questions; inquire or seek to know; examine.
He that questioneth much shall learn much.1597, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse:
I pray you, think you question with the Jew.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]: