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 ]