English Reference
noun · verb

questionnaire

n. · v.
US /ˌkwɛstʃəˈnɛɹ/ UK /kwˌɛstʃənˈeə/ ques·tion·naire UK spelling questionnaire's, questionnaire's

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    n.a set of written questions that you give to many people to collect facts or opinions.

    n.a printed or digital list of questions used to gather data for a survey, study, or census.

    Simple

    Please complete this short questionnaire about your stay at our hotel.

    In context

    The researchers distributed a detailed questionnaire to over five hundred participants to assess their dietary habits and lifestyle choices.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the verbs 'complete', 'fill out', or 'administer'.

    Pitfall
    I filled a questionnaire. I filled out a questionnaire.

    In English, you 'fill out' or 'complete' a form or questionnaire; 'fill' is used for containers like glasses or buckets.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency AcademicFormal

    v.to ask people questions using a formal list or form.

    v.to survey a population or group by means of a questionnaire. Transitive — takes the group being surveyed as the direct object.

    Simple

    The company decided to questionnaire all its employees about the new office rules.

    In context

    The department plans to questionnaire the local residents regarding the proposed urban redevelopment project before finalizing the budget.

    Usage

    This verbal use is less common than the noun form and is typically restricted to formal research contexts.

Rastrelli also gave his subjects a questionnaire about their relationship with social media.

The Guardian· 22 Aug 2026

Both teens and parents responded to questionnaires collecting data about the teen's relationship with their dog and how the teen copes with stress from peers.

Phys.org· 17 Aug 2026

Borrowed from French questionnaire, from Late Latin quaestionarius, from quaestio (English question) + -arius, from quaerō (“I question”) (English query).

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

This entry
Origin French questionnaire
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated