inquest Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an inquiry into the cause of an unexpected death

WordNet

In"quest noun
Etymology
OE. enqueste, OF. enqueste, F. enquête, LL. inquesta, for inquisita, fr. L. inquisitus, p.p. of inquirere. See Inquire.
Definitions
  1. Inquiry; quest; search. R. Spenser.
    The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after science. South.
  2. (Law) (a) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a jury; as, a coroner's inquest in case of a sudden death. (b) A body of men assembled under authority of law to inquire into any matterm civil or criminal, particularly any case of violent or sudden death; a jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury is sometimes called the grand inquest. See under Grand. (c) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry. Craig. Bouvier.

Webster 1913