Request

Request

Noun / Verb · /rɪˈkwɛst/ · an act of politely or formally asking for something; to make such an ask

Definition

A request is a polite, formal, or official ask — it carries more weight than a casual question but stops short of a demand or order. To request something is to express a need or desire and leave the decision to another. In everyday life you request a table at a restaurant, request a day off, or request a document from a colleague. In computing, a request is the fundamental unit of communication between a client and a server.

Origin

From Old French requeste and Medieval Latin requestum, derived from requirere — to seek again, to search for. The prefix re- (again) plus quaerere (to seek). The word entered English in the 14th century. Its polite yet purposeful character has remained constant: a request always implies that someone has something you need, and you are asking them — not commanding them — to provide it.