persecution

C1 Topic:Time

US /ˌpɝsəˈkjuʃən/ UK /ˌpɜːsəˈkjuːʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #15191

Meanings

1

noun
Cruel or unfair treatment of a person or group over time, especially because of race, religion, or beliefs.

They sought asylum to escape religious persecution at home.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms persecutions

Etymology

Equivalent to persecute + -ion. From Middle English persecucioun, from Old French persecucion, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecūtio (“persecution; chase, pursuit”), from Latin persequor (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) + sequor (“follow”). Displaced native Old English ēhtnes.

*sekʷ- Proto-Indo-European persecucioun Middle English persecucion Old French persecūtio la-ecc persequor Latin

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# persecution

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌpɝsəˈkjuʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌpɜːsəˈkjuːʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 15191

## Meanings
1. Cruel or unfair treatment of a person or group over time, especially because of race, religion, or beliefs.

## Examples
- They sought asylum to escape religious persecution at home.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *sekʷ-
- Root: persecucioun
- Root: persecucion
- Root: persecūtio
- Root: persequor

## Etymology
Equivalent to persecute + -ion. From Middle English persecucioun, from Old French persecucion, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecūtio (“persecution; chase, pursuit”), from Latin persequor (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) + sequor (“follow”). Displaced native Old English ēhtnes.

## AI Etymology
Persecution is equivalent to persecute + -ion. From Middle English persecucioun, from Old French persecucion, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecūtio (“persecution; chase, pursuit”), from Latin persequor (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) + sequor (“follow”). Displaced native Old English ēhtnes. In present-day use, it means cruel or unfair treatment of a person or group over time, especially because of race, religion, or beliefs.

## Topics
- Time
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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persecution

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