Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - inquisition

 noun  Etymology: Middle English inquisicioun, from Anglo-French ~, from Latin ~-, inquisitio, from inquirere  Date: 14th century  1. the act of inquiring ; examination  2. a judicial or official inquiry or examination usually before a jury; also the finding of the jury  3.  a. capitalized a former Roman Catholic tribunal for the discovery and punishment of heresy  b. an investigation conducted with little regard for individual rights  c. a severe questioning  • ~al adjective