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inquiry

in-KWY-ree /ɪnˈkwaɪəri/

nounB2TOEFLIELTS

generalfinancial

An official request for information; in credit terms, a request by a lender to review your credit report.

Distinguished between a 'hard inquiry' (when applying for credit, which affects your score) and a 'soft inquiry' (checking your own score, which does not).

The story behind the word. From the Latin 'inquirere', meaning 'to seek after' or 'search into', from 'in-' (into) and 'quaerere' (to seek). In the financial era, it became the technical term for a lender searching into your credit history.

Word relationships

investigation: Investigation implies a deep, often criminal search, whereas a credit inquiry is a routine check of a database.

response: A response is the answer provided, whereas an inquiry is the question or request itself.

Commonly confused with

enquiry: Inquiry is preferred in American English and often denotes a formal investigation, while enquiry is more common in British English for general questions.

Word family

inquire (verb): To ask for information.
inquiring (adjective): Showing an interest in learning new things.

Collocations

hard inquiry
soft inquiry
credit inquiry

Example sentences

"A hard inquiry can temporarily lower your credit score by a few points." Credit report explanation

Memory hook

Think of an 'inquest' or 'inquisition'. Lenders are conducting an 'inquiry' into your financial past to see if you are safe to lend to. Lenders inquiring into your credit history.

When not to use

Do not use to describe informal questions asked to friends; it implies a formal or structured request for information.

Fun facts

Soft inquiries, like those from employers or pre-approved credit card offers, are completely invisible to potential lenders.