Inquest \In"quest\, n. [OE. enqueste, OF. enqueste, F. enqu[^e]te, LL. inquesta, for inquisita, fr. L. inquisitus, p. p. of inquirere. See Inquire.]

1. Inquiry; quest; search. [R.]

--Spenser.

The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after science. --South.

2. (Law)
   (a) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a jury; as, a coroner's inquest in case of a sudden death.
   (b) A body of men assembled under authority of law to inquire into any matterm civil or criminal, particularly any case of violent or sudden death; a jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury is sometimes called the grand inquest. See under Grand.
   (c) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry.

Coroner's inquest, an inquest held by a coroner to determine the cause of any violent, sudden, or mysterious death. See Coroner.

Inquest of office, an inquiry made, by authority or direction of proper officer, into matters affecting the rights and interests of the crown or of the state. --Craig. Bouvier.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)