# query

/ˈkwiɹi/ (US) · /kwˈiəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/query
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. a question

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a question you ask because you have a doubt or need more information.

For teachers: a question, especially one expressing doubt or requesting information in a formal or professional context.

- If you have a query about your bill, please call our customer service team.
- The accounts department raised a query regarding the unexplained discrepancy in the quarterly financial report.

### 2. database request

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a specific request for information from a computer database.

For teachers: a precise set of instructions or commands used to retrieve, manipulate, or search for data within a database management system.

- The database query took several minutes to run because there was so much data.
- Optimising the SQL query significantly reduced the server load during peak traffic hours.

### 3. to ask or doubt

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to ask a question about something or to suggest that it might be wrong.

For teachers: to express doubt about the accuracy or validity of something; to formally request information.

- I need to query this charge on my credit card statement.
- Several professors queried the methodology used in the study, suggesting the sample size was too small for such a broad conclusion.

### 4. to search a database

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to use a computer to search for specific information in a large collection of data.

For teachers: to perform a search or data retrieval operation on a database or information system.

- You can query the system to find all customers who live in London.
- The application allows users to query the central repository in real-time to check for inventory updates.

## Examples

- I have a small query about my recent bill.
- The customer service team is currently processing a high volume of queries regarding the new software update.
- The database administrator optimized the search query to ensure that results would populate in milliseconds despite the millions of records stored in the cloud.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.