persecution
Americannoun
-
the act of persecuting.
-
the state of being persecuted.
-
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.
noun
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
- nonpersecution noun
- persecutional adjective
Etymology
Origin of persecution
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Some drivers — many of whom claim to have fled persecution in India and requested asylum in the U.S. — are sitting on expensive investments they cannot use.
From Los Angeles Times
The men in the Cladhan come from a range of countries, including Iran, Sudan and Eritrea, and all claim they need sanctuary from persecution.
From BBC
Many Afghans faced a serious risk of persecution by the Taliban, particularly those who had worked with Western governments.
From BBC
The Christians who gathered in that house church are a handful of the millions of believers from North Africa to North Korea who gather every Sunday to worship Christ despite persecution.
One of those staying there is Amir - not his real name - who four months ago came to the UK across the Channel on a small boat, having fled persecution in Iran.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
