molestation
UK: ˌmɒl.ɪˈsteɪ.ʃən | US: ˌmɑː.ləˈsteɪ.ʃən
n. the act of disturbing, harassing, or harming someone, especially through unwanted physical or sexual contact.
n. (archaic) the act of annoying or troubling someone persistently.
molestation = molest<annoy/harm> + ation<noun suffix>
- molest (from Latin molestare, "to trouble, annoy," derived from molestus, "troublesome")
- ation (a suffix forming nouns indicating an action or process, from Latin -atio)
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin molestus, meaning "troublesome," which itself stems from moles, "burden" or "mass." Over time, molestare evolved in Old French as molester, retaining the sense of harassment. In English, "molestation" initially referred to general annoyance but narrowed to specifically denote physical or sexual harassment by the 19th century. The suffix -ation formalizes the action, emphasizing its harmful nature.
The victim reported years of sexual molestation by her stepfather.
Laws against child molestation have become stricter in recent decades.
The term "molestation" now carries severe legal and social consequences.
Historical texts sometimes use "molestation" to describe minor annoyances.
The court convicted him of molestation based on overwhelming evidence.