prosecution
UK: ˌprɒsɪˈkjuːʃən | US: ˌprɑːsɪˈkjuːʃən
n. the act or process of prosecuting someone in a court of law for a criminal offense
n. the continuation or carrying out of a plan, action, or process
n. the party (e.g., the state) initiating legal proceedings against someone
prosecution = pro<forward> + secut<follow> + ion<noun suffix>
- pro<forward>: From Latin pro-, meaning "forward" or "in favor of."
- secut<follow>: From Latin sequi (past participle secutus), meaning "to follow."
- ion<noun suffix>: A suffix forming nouns indicating an action or process.
Etymology Origin:
The word prosecution originates from Latin prosecutio, combining pro- (forward) and sequi (to follow). It originally meant "to pursue or follow up," evolving into its legal sense of "pursuing a case in court" in the 16th century. The logic reflects a literal pursuit—following evidence or charges to their conclusion.
The prosecution presented strong evidence against the defendant.
He faced prosecution for tax evasion.
The prosecution of this project requires careful planning.
The prosecution called its final witness yesterday.
Environmental groups demanded prosecution of the polluters.