research
Pronunciation: /rɪˈsəːtʃ, ˈriːsəːtʃ/
noun
- the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions: the group carries out research in geochemistry medical research he prefaces his study with a useful summary of his own researches
-
verb
- investigate systematically: she has spent the last five years researching her people’s history
- discover or verify information for use in (a book, programme, etc.): I was in New York researching my novel (as adjective, with submodifier researched) a well-researched and readable account
Origin:
late 16th century: from obsolete French recerche (noun), recercher (verb), from Old French re- (expressing intensive force) + cerchier 'to search'
The traditional pronunciation in British English puts the stress on the second syllable, -search. In US English the stress is reversed and comes on the re-. The US pronunciation is becoming more common in British English and, while some traditionalists view it as incorrect, it is now generally accepted as a standard variant of British English.