query
UK: ˈkwɪəri | US: ˈkwɪri
n. a question or request for information
vt. to ask a question or express doubt about something
n. (computing) a request for data from a database
The word query entered English in the 16th century from Latin quaerere, retaining its core meaning of "to ask or seek." Over time, it specialized in contexts like formal questioning (e.g., legal or academic queries) and later adapted to computing terminology (database queries). The morpheme quer- reflects its persistent link to seeking information, while the suffix -y nominalizes the action.
She submitted a query to the librarian about the rare book.
The journalist queried the politician’s statement during the interview.
The database query returned hundreds of results.
His research raised a fundamental query about the theory.
Customers can query their order status online.