persecution

[pur-si-kyoo-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of persecuting.

2. the state of being persecuted.

3. a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate people based on their membership in a religious, ethnic, social, or racial group.

   the persecutions of Christians by the Romans.

persecution

/ ˌpɜːsɪˈkjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act of persecuting or the state of being persecuted

Other Word Forms

• persecutional adjective
• nonpersecution noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of persecution¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English persecucio(u)n, from Late Latin persecūtiōn-, stem of persecūtiō (in Latin: “prosecution”), from Latin persecūt(us) “followed thoroughly, prosecuted” (past participle of persequī “to follow thoroughly, prosecute”; persecute ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

European wildcats – historically also known as woodcats – were once widespread in Great Britain until human persecution and the loss of woodland and rough grass habitats saw them disappear from England and Wales.

Read more on BBC

Last year, it passed a new law designed to bolster the legal rights of the Cassirers and other families in California to recover valuable property stolen from them in acts of genocide or political persecution.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Successive UK governments have failed to deliver an asylum system which treats those fleeing persecution with dignity and respect," she said.

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“Many who have stuck with Labour so far will be repulsed by these attacks on vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution,” said Richard Burgon, a Labour lawmaker.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The persecution of Tadjadit is based on his poetry and peaceful activism, making his continued imprisonment a violation of his fundamental rights," the statement added.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• expulsion 
• ill-treatment www.thesaurus.com
• imprisonment 
• killing 
• maltreatment 
• massacre 
• mistreatment www.thesaurus.com
• murder 
• oppression 
• torture 

When To Use

What does persecution mean?

Persecution is the act of harassing or oppressing a person or a group of people, especially because of their identity.Throughout history, people have faced persecution because of their religion, race, ethnicity, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and many other factors.Example: People have been using the forum to call attention to the ongoing persecution of Muslims.