question: [13] Question is one of a large family of English words that go back to the Latin verb quaerere ‘seek, ask’. Its past participle quaestus formed the basis of a noun, quaestiō, which has become English question. An earlier form of the past participle was quaesītus, and its feminine version quaesīta eventually passed into English via Old French as quest [14]. Other English words from the same source include acquire, conquer, enquire, exquisite, inquest, request, and require; and query [17] is an anglicization of quaere, the imperative form of quaerere. => acquire, conquer, enquire, exquisite, inquest, query, quest, request, require
early 13c., "philosophical or theological problem;" early 14c. as "utterance meant to elicit an answer or discussion," also as "a difficulty, a doubt," from Anglo-French questiun, Old French question "question, difficulty, problem; legal inquest, interrogation, torture," from Latin quaestionem (nominative quaestio) "a seeking, a questioning, inquiry, examining, judicial investigation," noun of action from past participle stem of quaerere "ask, seek" (see query (v.)).
No question "undoubtedly" is from mid-15c; no questions asked "accountability not required" is from 1879 (especially in newspaper advertisements seeking the return of something lost or stolen). Question mark is from 1849, sometimes also question stop (1862); figurative use is from 1869. To be out of the question (c. 1700) is to be not pertinent to the subject, hence "not to be considered."
late 15c., from question (n.) and from Middle French questionner "ask questions, interrogate, torture" (13c.), from question (n.). Related: Questioned; questioning. Alternative questionize attested from 1847.
