What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between inquiry and research?

inquiry | research | Synonyms |

Research is a synonym of inquiry.



As nouns the difference between inquiry and research

is that inquiry is the act of inquiring; a seeking of information by asking questions; interrogation; a question or questioning while research is diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, applications, etc.; laborious or continued search after truth.

As a verb research is

to search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently.

inquiry

English

(wikipedia inquiry)

Alternative forms

* enquiry

Noun

(inquiries)
  • The act of inquiring; a seeking of information by asking questions; interrogation; a question or questioning.
  • Search for truth, information, or knowledge; examination of facts or principles; research; investigation; as, physical inquiries.

    • Usage notes

    According to Fowler's Modern English Usage'' (1926), ''inquiry'' should be used in relation to a formal inquest, and ''enquiry'' to the act of questioning. Many (though not all) British writers maintain this distinction; the Oxford English Dictionary, in its entry not updated since 1900, lists ''inquiry'' and ''enquiry'' as equal alternatives, in that order. Some British dictionaries, such as ''Chambers 21st Century Dictionary'' [http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?title=21st&query=inquiry], present the two spellings as interchangeable variants in the general sense, but prefer ''inquiry'' for the "formal inquest" sense. In Australian English, ''inquiry'' represents a formal inquest (such as a government investigation) while ''enquiry'' is used in the act of questioning (eg: the customer enquired about the status of his loan application). Both spellings are current in Canadian English, where ''enquiry'' is often associated with scholarly or intellectual research. (See Pam Peters, ''The Cambridge Guide to English Usage , p. 282.) American English usually uses inquiry .

    References

    *

    research

    English

    (wikipedia research)

    Noun

  • (uncountable) Diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, applications, etc.; laborious or continued search after truth.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
    • , author=Philip E. Mirowski , title=Harms to Health from the Pursuit of Profits , volume=100, issue=1, page=87 , magazine= citation , passage=In an era when political leaders promise deliverance from decline through America’s purported preeminence in scientific research , the news that science is in deep trouble in the United States has been as unwelcome as a diagnosis of leukemia following the loss of health insurance.}}
  • (countable) A particular instance or piece of research.
  • * Macaulay
    • The dearest interests of parties have frequently been staked on the results of the researches of antiquaries.
  • * 1747 , The Scots magazine (volume 9, page 567)
    • The first step I took in this so necessary a research , was to examine the motives, the justice, the necessity and expediency of the revolution

    Synonyms

    * researches * investigation * exploration * examination * study * inquiry * scrutiny

    Derived terms

    * desk research * empirical research * field research * historical research * primary research * proresearch * qualitative research * quantitative research * scientific research * secondary research

    Verb

    (es)
  • To search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently.
  • To make an extensive investigation into.
  • To search again.

    • References

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * * reachers * re-search