Questionnaire: Definition, Usage & Examples

Meaning 1：set of questions for gathering information (questionnaire)

questionnaire 🔊

/ˌkwestʃəˈneər/

A list of printed or on-screen questions used to gather people's opinions or information about a subject.

Person thoughtfully filling out a paper questionnaire with a pen on a wooden table

set of questions for gathering information 🔊

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/sɛt ɒv ˈkwɛstʃənz fɔːr ˈɡæðərɪŋ ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

A questionnaire is a structured instrument consisting of a series of questions designed to collect data, opinions, or information from individuals or groups, often used in research or assessments.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Derived from French 'questionnaire', from 'question', ultimately from Latin 'quaestio' meaning 'inquiry' or 'question'.

💡 Mnemonic

Remember 'questionnaire' as 'question air' – picture questions floating in the air that you gather and answer on a sheet or screen.

📖 Example

The gym handed out a questionnaire to understand what new classes their members would like to see. 🔊 The gym distributed a questionnaire to learn about members' preferences for new fitness classes.

🔗 Collocations

complete a questionnaire – to answer all the questions on a questionnaire

design a questionnaire – to create a set of questions for a survey or study

distribute questionnaires – to hand out questionnaires to a target group

🔄 Synonyms

survey (n.) – a set of questions used to gather information from a group of people, often for analysis

poll (n.) – a survey of public opinion, typically with multiple-choice questions

form (n.) – a document with spaces for information to be filled in, similar to a questionnaire

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'questionnaire' entered English from French in the early 19th century, originally denoting a list of questions for systematic inquiry. It gained prominence in social sciences and market research during the 20th century, becoming a standard tool for collecting quantitative and qualitative data in fields like psychology, business, and public health.