quest

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a jury of inquest
2
: an act or instance of seeking:
b
: a chivalrous enterprise in medieval romance usually involving an adventurous journey
3
obsolete : a person or group of persons who search or make inquiry

quest

2 of 2

verb

quested; questing; quests

intransitive verb

1
of a dog
a
: to search a trail
b
: bay
2
: to go on a quest

transitive verb

1
: to search for
2
: to ask for
quester noun

Examples of quest in a Sentence

Noun They went on a quest for gold. The team's quest to win a championship finally came to an end. He refuses to give up his quest to discover the truth. Verb They were questing for gold. I respectfully quest your assistance in this matter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The contrast is powerful, drawing attention to the chimerical nature of her quest. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024 There could also be outgoing U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, who was defeated last spring in her quest for the U.S. Senate. Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
That fundamental drive — that feeling of questing clarity, of the necessity of returning to an old play to excavate its glowing, undiminished heart — is what Kenny Leon’s new Broadway production lacks. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024 So, keep paying your mortgage, but just hope the scientists will speed this detection quest up a little bit. Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for quest 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French queste, Vulgar Latin *quaesta, from Latin, feminine of quaestus, past participle of quaerere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quest was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near quest

Cite this Entry

“Quest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quest. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

quest

1 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of seeking
2
a
: search entry 2
in quest of game
b
: an adventurous journey by a knight in a tale of olden days

quest

2 of 2 verb
1
: to go on a quest : seek
2
: to search for : pursue
3
: to ask for : demand

More from Merriam-Webster on quest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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