Inquest
/ˈɪnkwɛst/
nounB2
Definition
An inquest is a formal process where a group of people, often called a jury, listens to evidence to decide how and why a person died. It is used when the death is not clear or may be caused by unusual reasons. The goal is to understand the facts, not to decide guilt or innocence.
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See It in Action
A legal investigation into the cause of a sudden or unexplained death
- •The police called for an inquest after the man was found dead in his home.
- •The inquest revealed that the fire caused the death.
- •Families often attend the inquest to learn what happened to their loved one.
Sometimes used more generally for any formal inquiry or careful examination
- •The company held an inquest into the reasons for the accident at work.
- •After the failure, an inquest was opened to understand the problems.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "inquest" like "question" but in a very official and serious way about death or accidents.
- ✓Picture a courtroom where people carefully listen to stories and facts to find out what happened.
- ✓It's the feeling of wanting to know the truth about something sad or mysterious.
- ✓Sounds like "IN-quest" → imagine a group going on a "quest" or search inside to find answers about a death.
- ✓In stories or movies, an inquest is like a detective meeting where people explain what they saw before someone died.
- ✓NOT like "trial" (which decides guilt or punishment), an inquest only finds out facts about how death happened.
- ✓NOT like "investigation" (which can be informal), an inquest is a formal legal process.
Try Other Words
- •Investigation: a careful search for information (Use when the inquiry is not necessarily legal or about death)
- •Hearing: a formal meeting to listen to information (Use when the process is less about finding cause and more about discussion)
- •Inquiry: a formal question or examination (Use when asking questions but not always about death)
- •Coroner’s court: the place where an inquest happens (Use when referring to the location or court process)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "in-" (in, into) + "quest" (search, ask) → literally "searching into"
- •Etymology: From Latin "inquirere" meaning to seek or ask about
- •Historical development: Used since the 14th century in English for official questioning, especially about deaths
- •Modern usage: Mainly used for legal investigations into causes of death, especially sudden or unclear ones
Reflect & Connect
•How might an inquest help families find peace after a sudden death?
•Can you think of situations where an inquest would be very important outside of death cases?
Fill in the blanks
1.The inquest was opened because the cause of death was ___ and needed official examination.
2.During the inquest, witnesses were asked to ___ what they saw before the person died.
3.An inquest is different from a trial because it does not decide ___ or punishment.
4.After the accident, the company held an inquest to ___ the reasons behind it.
5.The family attended the inquest hoping to learn the ___ of their loved one's death.
6.The coroner's court is where the inquest ___ and evidence is heard.
7.When a death is suspicious, an inquest helps to ___ the facts clearly.