Where does “*quaest-” come from?

*quaest- (Vulgar Latin) comes from Latin quaerō, from Proto-Italic kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷeh₂- — to acquire.

Ancestry of “*quaest-”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Latin	quaerō	—
2	Proto-Italic	kʷaizeō	—
3	Proto-Indo-European	kʷeh₂-	to acquire

*quaest- — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer