persecute

/ˈpɜːsəkˌjuːt/PUR-suh-kyoot

/ˈpɝsəkˌjut/PUR-suh-kyoot

Meaningto follow through; to hound

Common meaning: to treat cruelly, hounding someone

perthrough; thoroughly
secuto follow, come afterLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1677 · scan
teverb or noun ending (part of the Latin stem)

‘through’ + ‘to follow, come after’ → persecute

Journey through time

Latinsequor, secūtus‘to follow, come after’
Frenchpersecuter
Englishpersecute‘to treat cruelly, hounding someone’ · today

per- also in: percent percept perfidy perfume perjury

secu also in: suit execute sequence subsequent consequence

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin sequor ‘to follow, come after’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry sequor, p. 1677 · dictionary scan

Roots

sequor, secūtus Latin “to follow, come after”

Related words

consequence execute sequence subsequent suit

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