A query is a question or request for information. When you query someone, you're asking them something, often because you need clarification or want to know more about a topic. A librarian might help you query the library's catalog to find books on butterflies, or a scientist might query a database to search for weather patterns.

The word often appears in more formal or technical contexts. Teachers receive queries from parents about homework assignments. A customer might send a query to a company asking about a product. Computer programmers write queries to search databases: “Show me all books published in 2023” is a type of query a computer can understand and answer.

You can also query something by doubting or questioning it. If you think your friend's claim sounds wrong, you might query whether it's really true. Writers send queries to publishers, asking if they'd be interested in a book.

The word suggests more than casual wondering. A query is purposeful: you're actively seeking an answer or challenging information. When you raise your hand in class to ask your teacher to explain something confusing, you're making a query.