# persecution

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌpɝsəˈkjuʃən/ · frequency rank #10,904

## Definitions
1. The act of persecuting, especially a specific group of people; an instance of persecution.

## Etymology
Equivalent to persecute + -ion. From Middle English persecucioun, from Old French persecucion, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecūtio (“persecution; chase, pursuit”), from Latin persequor (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) + sequor (“follow”). Displaced native Old English ēhtnes.

## Easily confused with
- **prosecution** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/persecution-vs-prosecution)
- **perfection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perfection-vs-persecution)

## Common misspellings (17)
`eprsecution`, `perescution`, `perrsecution`, `persceution`, `perseccution`, `persectuion`, `persecuiton`, `persecusion`, `persecutino`, `persecutionn`, `persecutoin`, `persecuttion`, `perseuction`, `perssecution`, `pesrecution`, `ppersecution`, `presecution`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/persecution