petition

American  

[puh-tish-uhn] / pəˈtɪʃ ən /

noun

1. a formally drawn request, often bearing the names of a number of those making the request, that is addressed to a person or group of persons in authority or power, soliciting some favor, right, mercy, or other benefit.

   a petition for clemency; a petition for the repeal of an unfair law.

   Synonyms:

   suit

2. a request made for something desired, especially a respectful or humble request, as to a superior or to one of those in authority; a supplication or prayer.

   a petition for aid; a petition to God for courage and strength.

   Synonyms:

   appeal, solicitation, entreaty

3. something that is sought by request or entreaty.

   to receive one's full petition.

4. Law. an application for a court order or for some judicial action.

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verb (used with object)

1. to beg for or request (something).

2. to address a formal petition to (a sovereign, a legislative body, etc.).

   He received everything for which he had petitioned the king.

3. to ask by petition for (something).

verb (used without object)

1. to present a petition.

2. to address or present a formal petition.

   Synonyms:

   sue, solicit

3. to request or solicit, as by a petition.

   to petition for redress of grievances.

petition British  

/ pɪˈtɪʃən /

noun

1. a written document signed by a large number of people demanding some form of action from a government or other authority

2. any formal request to a higher authority or deity; entreaty

3. law a formal application in writing made to a court asking for some specific judicial action

   a petition for divorce

4. the action of petitioning

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verb

1. (tr) to address or present a petition to (a person in authority, government, etc)

   to petition Parliament

2. to seek by petition

   to petition for a change in the law

Related Words

See appeal.

Other Word Forms

• counterpetition noun
• petitionable adjective
• petitionary adjective
• petitioner noun
• petitionist noun
• prepetition noun
• re-petition verb (used with object)
• unpetitioned adjective

Etymology

Origin of petition

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English peticioun, from Middle French peticion, from Latin petītiōn-, stem of petītiō “an attack, request,” from petīt(us) “assaulted, sought” (past participle of petere “to assault, head for, seek”) + -iō -ion

Explanation

If you're angry about the new rule that you have to wear bright pink shoes to work every day, why not write up a petition, get all your co-workers to sign it, and submit it to your boss? Petition comes from the Anglo-Norman word peticiun, meaning "demand, request," and when you petition someone, you ask them to consider your request. If you write up a statement against the town's approval of a new carnival district and collect signatures from 100 neighbors to turn in to the city government, that's a petition. If you pray to the carnival gods to rain down ruin on the carnival, that's also a petition — and no signatures needed.

Example Sentences

It has collected a petition of 13,000 signatures and said hundreds of students will gather in Westminster on Thursday, before a small group delivers their requests to the Department for Education.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

A 2022 color additive petition filed by two dozen food safety and health advocates found that Red Dye No. 3 caused cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of the dye.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

Government lawyers are scheduled to reply to her petition a week after Tax Day.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

At Tyumen University in Siberia, some 2,000 students signed a petition against a move to make the school’s Wi-Fi accessible only through Max.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

“No, but you asked me to be involved with that petition, and look how that turned out. Then you gave an interview about me to the school paper without letting me know?”

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

Related Words

• ask
• beg
• beseech
• call upon
• implore
• pray
• seek
• sue
• urge