Etymograph

English

persecution

Persecution comes from Latin persequor ‘follow up, pursue’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘follow’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpersequor‘follow up, pursue’
  6. Ecclesiastical Latinc. 200–1500persecūtio
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400persecucion
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500persecucioun
  9. Englishearliest quotation 2004persecution

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘follow’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpersequor‘follow up, pursue’
  6. Ecclesiastical Latinc. 200–1500persecūtio
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400persecucion
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500persecucioun
  9. Englishearliest quotation 2004persecution

Earliest quotation: 2004, Protection: “During the early 20th century, wolves were considered undesirable.…”

Formed from persecute + -ion

Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’

…

Latin sequor ‘follow’

Latin persequor ‘follow up, pursue’

Ecclesiastical Latin persecutor ‘pursuer’

Middle French persécuter

English persecute

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’

see, say, social, saw, society, second, sight, associate, executive, subsequent, sue, suite, saga, consequence, consequently, intrinsic, sequential, extrinsic, dissociation, sequestration, dissociate, sequester, seg, 31 more

through Proto-Italic *sekʷōr ‘to follow, come/go after’

pursuit, suitor, 17 more

through Latin sequor ‘follow’

suit, sequence, pursue, sequel, execute, consecutive, prosecution, sect, ensue, consequent, executor, segue, sequitur, 19 more

Today it means

noun The act of persecuting, especially a specific group of people; an instance of persecution.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / persecution

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