INQUISITION Meaning and
Definition
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Inquisition refers to a judicial institution or process established primarily during the Middle Ages in Europe, particularly in Spain and Portugal, with the intention to suppress heresy and enforce religious orthodoxy. The term can also be used more broadly to describe any similar formal inquiry conducted to obtain information or investigate a particular subject.
The Inquisition was characterized by its religious nature, as it often targeted individuals suspected of deviating from Catholic teachings or practicing different forms of Christianity. It employed various methods, including interrogation, torture, and surveillance, to gather evidence against the accused. Punishments for those found guilty of heresy often involved severe penalties such as imprisonment, fines, or even execution.
Beyond its religious context, inquisition can also refer to a thorough and intense questioning or investigation carried out to ascertain facts or gather information regarding a particular matter. In this sense, the term is used to describe a systematic and often rigorous inquiry process. It may occur in legal proceedings, academic studies, or even journalistic investigations, involving extensive questioning, cross-examination, and scrutinizing evidence to arrive at a conclusion or establish the truth.
Overall, inquisition represents a complex term with historical, religious, and broader connotations, denoting the institution or procedure aimed at suppressing heresy or deviation from established beliefs, as well as a rigorous interrogation or investigation process in a general sence.
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A court or tribunal for the examination and punishment of heretics established in some Roman Catholic countries, now only at Rome; judicial inquiry.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for INQUISITION *
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Other Common Misspellings for INQUISITION
Etymology of INQUISITION
The word "inquisition" derives from the Latin term "inquisitio", which means "inquiry" or "investigation". The Latin word itself is formed from the verb "inquirere", meaning "to inquire" or "to search into". In medieval Latin, it specifically referred to an "official inquiry" or "examination" carried out by Church or civil authorities to root out heresy or other offenses against religious doctrine. Over time, the term "inquisition" became strongly associated with the infamous ecclesiastical tribunals established during the Middle Ages, such as the Spanish Inquisition.
Similar spelling words for INQUISITION
- insistency,
- inquisitor,
- inquisitory,
- injustice,
- insistence,
- inquisitorial,
- insistently,
- insisting,
- incision,
- inquisitive,
- inquisitively,
- insistent,
- in question.
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