English Reference
Adjective

inquisitive

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌɪnˈkwɪzɪtɪv/ UK /ɪnkwˈɪzɪtˌɪv/ in·quis·i·tive

adj.wanting to know a lot about things and asking many questions. You use this to describe someone who is naturally curious and likes to learn.

adj.having a strong desire to know or learn; characterized by a habit of asking questions. Often used to describe a person's personality or a child's natural behavior.


SIMPLE

The inquisitive child asked a hundred questions during the museum tour.

CONTEXTUAL

An inquisitive mind is one of the most valuable traits for a scientist or a detective.

COMPLEX

The inquisitive nature of the young researcher led her to uncover a series of overlooked patterns in the data that eventually changed the field of study.

Gordon, from Lincoln, believes videos on her account have racked up thousands of views because people are "naturally inquisitive" and "nosey".

BBC News· 22 Aug 2026

The whole three months’ worth of music, in fact, sits on the Library of Congress website, a couple of clicks away from anyone inquisitive enough to uncover these preserved moments.

Smithsonian Magazine· 10 Jun 2026

Late 14th century, from Old French inquisitif, from Late Latin inquisitivus, from Latin inquisitus, past participle of inquirere. See also inquire.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin inquisitus
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated