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Added 7 October 2026

ask

/ɑːsk/ symbol

In Latin: quaerō, scīscō, scīscitor Wiktionary

symbol Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ask at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

ISO 639-3 language code for Ashkun.

verb

To request or petition. To request (information, or an answer to a question).
I asked her age.
To request (information, or an answer to a question).
I asked her age.
To request or enquire of (a person).
I asked her (for) her age.

noun

An act or instance of asking.
Something asked or asked for.
I know this is a big ask, but …
An asking price.

noun

An eft; newt.
A lizard.

Origin

From Middle English asken, axen, from Old English āscian, from Proto-West Germanic *aiskōn, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- (“to wish; request”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian aaskje (“to ask, demand, require”), West Frisian easkje (“to ask, demand, require”), Dutch eisen (“to demand, require”), German heischen (“to ask, request, implore”), Russian иска́ть (iskátʹ), Sanskrit इच्छति (iccháti) (whence Hindi ईछना (īchnā).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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