enquire

• inquire (chiefly US)

Old French enquerre, from en- + querre (“to search, to look for”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪŋˈkwaɪɹ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪŋˈkwaɪə/
• Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)

enquire (third-person singular simple present enquires, present participle enquiring, simple past and past participle enquired)

1. (intransitive) To make an enquiry.

   He enquired about the availability of rental bicycles in the town.

2. (transitive, archaic) To ask about (something).
   • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton

     Having thus at length enquired the truth concerning Law and dispense.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Byron

     And all obey and few enquire his will.

In the USA, inquire is generally used in place of enquire. Where enquire is used (particularly in the UK), it means a non-official enquiry (such as to ask a question), whereas inquire is used in legal or government context where official transcripts are generated. In the USA, this distinction is not made and inquire is used generally.

• enquiry

• inquere