Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “persecute” come from?

persecute (Latin) comes from Latin persecutus, from Latin persequor, from Latin sequor, from Proto-Italic sekʷōr, from Proto-Indo-European sékʷetor, from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- — to follow; to see; to say.

persecute (Latin): vocative masculine singular of persecūtus

Definitions

  1. vocative masculine singular of persecūtus

Ancestry of “persecute”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpersecutusfollowed, pursued; prosecuted
2LatinpersequorI follow perseveringly, continue to follow;...
3LatinsequorI follow, come or go after
4Proto-Italicsekʷōrfollow, come/go after
5Proto-Indo-Europeansékʷetorto be following
6Proto-Indo-Europeansekʷ-to follow; to see; to say
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- →