a. [ OE. inquisitif, F. inquisitif. ] 1. Disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wise man is not inquisitive about things impertinent. Broome. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Given to examination, investigation, or research; searching; curious. [ 1913 Webster ]

A young, inquisitive, and sprightly genius. I. Watts.

Syn. -- Inquiring; prying; curious; meddling; intrusive. -- Inquisitive, Curious, Prying. Curious denotes a feeling, and inquisitive a habit. We are curious when we desire to learn something new; we are inquisitive when we set ourselves to gain it by inquiry or research. Prying implies inquisitiveness, and is more commonly used in a bad sense, as indicating a desire to penetrate into the secrets of others. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ We ] curious are to hear,
What happens new. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

This folio of four pages [ a newspaper ], happy work!
Which not even critics criticise; that holds
Inquisitive attention, while I read. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor need we with a prying eye survey
The distant skies, to find the Milky Way. Creech. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who is inquisitive; one curious in research. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an inquisitive manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

The occasion that made him afterwards so inquisitively apply himself to the study of physic. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being inquisitive; the disposition to seek explanation and information; curiosity to learn what is unknown; esp., uncontrolled and impertinent curiosity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mr. Boswell, whose inquisitiveness is seconded by great activity, scrambled in at a high window. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Curiosity in children nature has provided, to remove that ignorance they were born with; which, without this busy inquisitiveness, will make them dull. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

See high.
See honorable.
See hopeful.
See hostile.
See hurt.
See hhurtful.
See hygienic.
See ideal.
See idle.
See illusory.
See imaginable.
See imaginative.
See immortal.
See implicit.
See important.
See impressible. See >Unimpressible.
See impressionable.
See improvable.
See impugnable.
See incidental.
See increasable.
See indifferent.
See indulgent.
See industrious.
See inflammable.
See influential.
See ingenious.
See ingenuous.
See inhabitable.
See injurious.
See inquisitive.
See instructive.
See intelligent.
See intelligible.
See intentional.
See interesting.
See interpretable.
See inventive.
See investigable.
See jealous.
See joyful.
See joyous.
See justifiable.
See kingly.
See knightly.
See knotty.
See knowable.
See laborious.
See ladylike.
See level.
See libidinous.
See lightsome.
See limber.
See lineal.
See logical.
See lordly.
See losable.
See lovable.
See lucent.
See luminous.
See lustrous.
See lusty.
See maidenly.
See makable.
See malleable.
See manageable.
See manful.
See manlike.
See manly.
See marketable.
See marriable.
See marriageable.
See marvelous.
See masculine.
See matchable.
See matronlike.
See meek.
See meet.
See melodious.
See mendable.
See mentionable.
See mercenary.
See merciable.
See meritable.
See merry.
See metaphorical.
See mighty.
See mild.
See military.
See mindful.
See mingleable.
See miraculous.
See miry.
See mitigable.
See modifiable.
See modish.
See moist.
See monkish.
See motherly.
See muscular.
See musical.
See mysterious.
See namable.
See native.
See navigable.
See needful.
See negotiable.
See niggard.
See noble.
See objectionable.
[ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]