The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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.
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            The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul
            must make after science.              --South.
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   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 matter, 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.
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   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.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Coroner \Cor"o*ner\ (k?r"?-n?r), n. [From OE. coronen to crown,
   OF. coroner, fr. L. coronare, fr. corona crown. Formed as a
   translation of LL. coronator coroner, fr. L. corona crown,
   the coroner having been originally a prosecuting officer of
   the crown. See Crown.]
   An officer of the peace whose principal duty is to inquire,
   with the help of a jury, into the cause of any violent,
   sudden or mysterious death, or death in prison, usually on
   sight of the body and at the place where the death occurred.
   [In England formerly also written and pronounced crowner.]
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   Note: In some of the United States the office of coroner is
         abolished, that of medical examiner taking its place.
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   Coroner's inquest. See under Inquest.
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