English
prosecution
Prosecution comes from Latin prōsequor ‘follow, pursue’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘follow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōsequor‘follow, pursue’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprōsecutio
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600prosecution
- Englishearliest quotation 1892same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘follow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōsequor‘follow, pursue’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprōsecutio
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600prosecution
- Englishearliest quotation 1892same form
Earliest quotation: 1892, Walter Besant, Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?: “Such a scandal as the prosecution of a brother…”
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, 30 more
through Proto-Italic *sekʷōr ‘to follow, come/go after’
through Latin sequor ‘follow’
suit, sequence, sequel, execute, consecutive, sect, ensue, persecution, consequent, executor, segue, persecute, sequitur, 17 more
through Latin prōsequor ‘follow, pursue’
Today it means
noun The act of prosecuting a scheme or endeavor.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / prosecution