Inquiry

n.thoughtful, capableprofessional

Meaning 1

A request for information.

Reach for it when naming a question directed to a person or organization

The archive answered each inquiry with a source list and retrieval date.

everyday
question
one point needs an answer
not when A rhetorical question may seek no information and have no recipient.
professional
query
a concise information request suits technical or database contexts
not when Query sounds transactional and may reduce a nuanced concern to a lookup.
professional
request
the sender asks for information or action through a process
not when Request can seek service or permission rather than knowledge.

A systematic effort to discover facts or develop understanding.

Reach for it when describing formal investigation or open-ended study

The inquiry compared witness accounts with the maintenance log.

everyday
study
structured examination aims to build knowledge
not when Study can test a hypothesis without resolving a particular event.
warm
exploration
open-ended learning matters more than a final verdict
not when Exploration is too loose for an inquiry with legal powers.
professional
investigation
evidence is gathered to establish what happened
not when Investigation often implies a suspected problem and a bounded case.
formal
hearing
evidence and testimony are received in an official forum
not when A hearing is one procedure and not the whole inquiry.

customer inquiry
The service logged each customer inquiry without storing unnecessary personal details.
public inquiry
The public inquiry published its evidence before the final hearing.
line of inquiry
A newly dated photograph opened a second line of inquiry.
scientific inquiry
Scientific inquiry replaced the attractive story with a testable explanation.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.