Reader's question: What's the difference between enquiry and inquiry?

Answer: Enquiry and inquiry mean exactly the same thing.

The en- prefix derives from French, whereas the in- form comes from Latin. In Australian English a distinction in meaning has arisen between ensure and insure, but in other cases, such as enquiry and inquiry, the forms are interchangeable.

According to the Macquarie Dictionary, some organisations such as newspapers tend to prefer the in- form, but others make a distinction between, for example, an official inquiry and an informal enquiry.