The correct spelling is questionnaire.
Questionaire is a misspelling and is not accepted in standard English dictionaries.
Correct: questionnaire
Incorrect: questionaire
A questionnaire is a written set of questions designed to collect information, opinions, feedback, or research data from respondents.
Example Sentences
- Please complete the questionnaire before your appointment.
- The researchers distributed a questionnaire to all participants.
- Customers were asked to fill out a satisfaction questionnaire after their purchase.
What Does Questionnaire Mean?
A questionnaire is a document or digital form containing a series of questions. It is commonly used in:
- Academic research
- Surveys
- Market research
- Customer feedback collection
- Medical assessments
- Employee evaluations
The purpose of a questionnaire is to gather information in a structured and organized way.
Example
A company may send customers a questionnaire asking about:
- Product quality
- Customer service experience
- Suggestions for improvement
- Overall satisfaction
Why Do People Write “Questionaire”?
The confusion usually comes from the ending of the word.
Many English words end in -aire, including:
- millionaire
- billionaire
- questionnaire (contains a similar sound)
Because the pronunciation can be misleading, some writers accidentally remove one of the letters and create the incorrect spelling questionaire.
Another reason is that English spelling does not always match pronunciation perfectly, making longer words easier to misspell.
The Origin of the Word Questionnaire
The word questionnaire comes from French.
It developed from the French word question, combined with a suffix that created a noun referring to a list or collection of questions.
English adopted the spelling directly, which is why the word contains the distinctive ending -naire rather than the more commonly expected -aire.
How to Remember the Correct Spelling
If you struggle with this word, try these memory tricks:
1. Think of “Question + Naire”
Break the word into parts:
Question + naire = questionnaire
Remember that the N after “question” is essential.
2. Notice the Double N Sound
The correct spelling contains:
question + naire
Many misspellings occur because people forget the extra letters in the second half of the word.
3. Use Spell Check as Backup
Most modern writing tools automatically flag questionaire as incorrect and suggest questionnaire instead.
Questionaire or Questionnaire in British and American English
Unlike some spelling differences between British and American English, there is no variation here.
Both British English and American English use:
Questionnaire
The spelling remains the same worldwide.
Examples
British English:
- The school sent parents a questionnaire regarding student welfare.
American English:
- Participants completed a questionnaire before the study began.
In both cases, the spelling is identical.
Common Mistakes Related to Questionnaire
People often make these errors:
Incorrect
- questionaire
- questionnair
- questionnarie
- questionnare
Correct
- questionnaire
When writing professionally, always double-check the spelling because questionnaires are commonly used in business, education, and research settings.
Questionnaire in Everyday Contexts
You may encounter questionnaires in many situations:
Education
Teachers and researchers use questionnaires to collect opinions and study results.
Healthcare
Doctors often ask patients to complete health questionnaires before appointments.
Business
Companies use questionnaires to gather customer feedback and improve services.
Human Resources
Organizations may distribute questionnaires to assess employee satisfaction.
Questionnaire vs Survey
These terms are related but not identical.
A questionnaire is the set of questions.
A survey is the overall process of collecting and analyzing responses.
Example
A company creates a questionnaire containing ten questions.
Customers answer those questions as part of a larger survey.
In other words, the questionnaire is often one component of a survey.
Examples of Questionnaire in Sentences
Here are some additional examples:
- Every participant received a questionnaire by email.
- The questionnaire took approximately ten minutes to complete.
- Researchers analyzed the questionnaire responses carefully.
- Please return the completed questionnaire by Friday.
- The online questionnaire generated valuable feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it questionaire or questionnaire?
The correct spelling is questionnaire. The spelling questionaire is incorrect.
What is a questionnaire?
A questionnaire is a structured list of questions used to collect information, opinions, or feedback.
Why is questionaire considered wrong?
It omits important letters found in the standard spelling recognized by English dictionaries.
Is questionnaire a French word?
The word originated from French and was later adopted into English while largely keeping its original spelling.
How do you pronounce questionnaire?
It is commonly pronounced as:
kwes-chuh-NAIR
The final syllable sounds similar to “nair.”
Is questionnaire used in academic research?
Yes. Researchers frequently use questionnaires to gather data from study participants.
Conclusion
When comparing questionaire or questionnaire, only questionnaire is correct. The misspelling questionaire is extremely common, but it should be avoided in professional, academic, and everyday writing.
Remember that a questionnaire is simply a structured set of questions used to collect information. Whether you’re conducting research, gathering customer feedback, or completing a form, using the correct spelling helps your writing appear more accurate and professional.
If you often encounter confusing word pairs like this one, exploring other grammar and spelling guides can help strengthen your writing skills and prevent common mistakes in the future.