noun
inquest
ING-kwest/ˈɪŋkwest/
An official investigation, especially into the cause of a death.
The coroner opens an inquest into the young man's death.
Etymology
Seeking “into” something gives the idea of investigating it. Inquest entered English as a legal or judicial inquiry; in this sense, the matter being investigated is the cause of a death.
In context
what did the the coroner say at her second inquest the coroner was extremely critical of the army and found that the um Act of alleged rape as he put it had directly contributed to her death
More examples
- Witnesses describe the accident at the inquest.
- The family requests an inquest to establish how she died.
- Several inquests reveal serious failures in hospital care.
Forms
inquest · inquests
Similar words
- inquiry
- Broader questioning or fact-finding, not necessarily an official proceeding.
- investigation
- Covers systematic examination of crimes, problems, or events beyond deaths.