TOP

Definition of survey noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

survey

noun
 
/ˈsɜːveɪ/
 
/ˈsɜːrveɪ/
jump to other results
  1. an investigation of the opinions, behaviour, etc. of a particular group of people, which is usually done by asking them questions
    • A recent survey showed 75 per cent of those questioned were in favour of the plan.
    • The survey revealed/found that…
    • to conduct/carry out/do/complete a survey
    • According to the survey, many young adults have experimented with drugs of some kind.
    • Another national survey conducted last year found the same result.
    • Roughly half of survey respondents express strong interest in additional education.
    • The results of the survey come as no surprise to us.
    Extra Examples
    • 94% of people who took part in the survey said they agreed.
    • A customer satisfaction survey highlighted the need for clearer pricing.
    • The charity did a survey of people's attitudes to ageing.
    • A survey into conditions in schools revealed the need for much greater investment.
    • The researchers used a combination of survey methods.
    • They are carrying out a survey of small businesses in London.
    • This is the largest independent survey into health ever carried out in Britain.
    Topics Opinion and argumenta2, Scientific researcha2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • comprehensive
    • detailed
    • extensive
    verb + survey
    • administer
    • carry out
    • conduct
    survey + verb
    • cover something
    • deal with something
    • examine something
    survey + noun
    • data
    • results
    • method
    preposition
    • according to a/​the survey
    • in a/​the survey
    • survey into
    phrases
    • the findings of a/​the survey
    • the results of a/​the survey
    See full entry
  2. the act of examining and recording the measurements, features, etc. of an area of land in order to make a map or plan of it
    • an aerial survey (= made by taking photographs from a plane, drone, etc.)
    • A geological survey revealed the presence of oil beneath the ground.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • full
    • aerial
    • archaeological
    verb + survey
    • carry out
    • do
    • make
    See full entry
  3. (British English) an examination of the condition of a house, etc., usually done for somebody who is thinking of buying it
    • a detailed structural survey
    Topics Houses and homesc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • full
    • aerial
    • archaeological
    verb + survey
    • carry out
    • do
    • make
    See full entry
  4. a general study, view or description of something
    • a comprehensive survey of modern music
    • a historical survey of children's clothing
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • comprehensive
    • detailed
    • extensive
    verb + survey
    • administer
    • carry out
    • conduct
    survey + verb
    • cover something
    • deal with something
    • examine something
    survey + noun
    • data
    • results
    • method
    preposition
    • according to a/​the survey
    • in a/​the survey
    • survey into
    phrases
    • the findings of a/​the survey
    • the results of a/​the survey
    See full entry
  5. Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘examine and ascertain the condition of’): from Anglo-Norman French surveier, from medieval Latin supervidere, from super- ‘over’ + videre ‘to see’. The early sense of the noun (late 15th cent.) was ‘supervision’.
See survey in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee survey in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
sufficiently
adverb
 
 
From the Word list
OPAL written words
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day