## Meanings
1. To treat someone cruelly or unfairly over a long period, especially because of their race, religion, or beliefs.
2. To keep annoying or harassing someone persistently.

## Examples
- Many families fled the country after being persecuted for their faith.
- Reporters persecuted the actress with endless questions about her divorce.

## Derived Forms
- persecutee
- persecutingly
- unpersecuted

## Related Forms
- persecutable
- persecution

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *sekʷ-
- Root: persécuter
- Root: persecutor
- Root: persequor

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French persécuter, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecutor, from Latin persequor, persecutus (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) + sequor (“follow”) (English sequel). Compare prosecute. Cf. also pursue.

## AI Etymology
Persecute is borrowed from Middle French persécuter, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecutor, from Latin persequor, persecutus (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) + sequor (“follow”) (English sequel). Compare prosecute. Cf. also pursue. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean to treat someone cruelly or unfairly over a long period, especially because of their race, religion, or beliefs, or to keep annoying or harassing someone persistently. Related forms include persecutable, persecution. Derived formations include persecutee, persecutingly, unpersecuted.

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