Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “petition” come from?

Petition comes from Old French peticiun, from Latin petitio (a request or demand), derived from Latin peto (to seek or aim for), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- (to rush or fly).

petition (English): A formal, written request made to an official...

Definitions

  1. A formal, written request made to an official...

Ancestry of “petition”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchpeticiunrequest; demand
2Latinpetitioan attack, thrust, blow; a request, petition,...
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “petition”

  • petitioner
  • petitionary
  • prepetition
  • counterpetition
  • petitionee
  • petitioneth
  • e-petition
  • petitionarily
  • counterpetitioner
  • petisen
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →