solicitation
UK: səˌlɪsɪˈteɪʃən | US: səˌlɪsɪˈteɪʃən
n. the act of asking for something earnestly or formally
n. the act of enticing or persuading someone, often for commercial or unethical purposes
n. (legal) the crime of urging someone to commit an illegal act
solicitation = solicit<ask earnestly> + ation<noun suffix>
- solicit: From Latin solicitare ("to disturb, agitate, or urge"), derived from sollicitus ("anxious, troubled"), combining sollus ("whole") + ciere ("to set in motion").
- ation: A noun-forming suffix indicating an action or process, from Latin -atio.
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin solicitare, which originally meant "to disturb" but evolved to imply persistent urging or requesting. Over time, "solicitation" narrowed in English to focus on formal requests or enticements, often with legal or commercial connotations. The root ciere ("to set in motion") reflects the proactive nature of soliciting—literally putting something into action through persuasion.
The charity sent letters of solicitation to potential donors.
He was arrested for solicitation after offering money for illegal services.
Her solicitation of feedback improved the project’s quality.
The company’s aggressive solicitation tactics annoyed many customers.
Lawyers debated whether the email constituted solicitation of confidential information.