query

[kweer-ee] /ˈkwɪər i/
noun, plural queries.
1.
a question; an inquiry.
2.
mental reservation; doubt.
3.
Printing. a question mark (?), especially as added on a manuscript, proof sheet, or the like, indicating doubt as to some point in the text.
4.
an inquiry from a writer to an editor of a magazine, newspaper, etc., regarding the acceptability of or interest in an idea for an article, news story, or the like: usually presented in the form of a letter that outlines or describes the projected piece.
verb (used with object), queried, querying.
5.
to ask or inquire about:
No one queried his presence.
6.
to question as doubtful or obscure:
to query a statement.
7.
Printing. to mark (a manuscript, proof sheet, etc.) with a query.
8.
to ask questions of.
Origin
1625-35; alteration (cf. -y3) of earlier quere < Latin quaere quaere
Related forms
queryingly, adverb
outquery, verb (used with object), outqueried, outquerying.
unqueried, adjective
Can be confused
inquiry, query.
quarry, query.
Examples from the web for query
  • Of course, he might have been programmed to fend off this kind of query with deadpan humor.
  • For information about marketing a food or garden product, query your county government about the home demonstration service.
  • Not long ago a query arrived, urgent and unexpected, via cellphone.
  • There is no way to get an unbiased response to this query.
  • His answer was as irritating as my repeated query.
  • The root of my query is the fact that ribosomes must be incredibly complex molecules.
  • You never answered my query as to whether English is your native language.
  • This is the kind of query that should be left to medical people.
  • We are happy to discuss any individual query that you might have about re-using our copyrighted material.
  • Fire away with the geolocation query, but be wary of how you broach the topic.
British Dictionary definitions for query

query

/ˈkwɪərɪ/
noun (pl) -ries
1.
a question, esp one expressing doubt, uncertainty, or an objection
2.
a less common name for question mark
verb (transitive) -ries, -rying, -ried
3.
to express uncertainty, doubt, or an objection concerning (something)
4.
to express as a query: "What's up now?" she queried
5.
(US) to put a question to (a person); ask
Word Origin
C17: from earlier quere, from Latin quaere ask!, from quaerere to seek, inquire
Word Origin and History for query
n.

1530s, quaere "a question," from Latin quaere "ask," imperative of quaerere "to seek, look for; strive, endeavor, strive to gain; ask, require, demand;" figuratively "seek mentally, seek to learn, make inquiry," probably ultimately from PIE *kwo-, root forming the stem of relative and interrogative pronouns (see who). Spelling Englished or altered c.1600 by influence of inquiry.

v.

"to question," 1650s, from query (n.). Related: Queried; querying.

query in Technology


1. A user's (or agent's) request for information, generally as a formal request to a database or search engine.
SQL is the most common database query language.
2. question mark.
(1997-04-09)