oppression
UK: əˈpreʃən | US: əˈpreʃən
n. prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control
n. the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically
n. the action of pressing or weighing down (archaic/literal sense)
oppression = op<against> + press<press> + ion<noun suffix>
- op (from Latin ob-, meaning "against" or "toward")
- press (from Latin pressare, meaning "to press" or "squeeze")
- ion (noun-forming suffix indicating action or state)
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin oppressio ("a pressing down, crushing"), derived from opprimere ("to press against, suppress"). The prefix ob- intensifies the root press, originally describing physical force but later evolving metaphorically to denote systemic or psychological burden. The term entered Middle English via Old French, retaining its dual sense of physical and social weight.
The regime’s oppression of dissent led to widespread protests.
She wrote a novel about the oppression of women in patriarchal societies.
The oppression of the working class fueled revolutionary ideas.
Many immigrants flee their homelands to escape political oppression.
The oppression of grief made it hard for him to breathe.