DictionaryRoot: molestare
Latin
molestare
to disturb, trouble, annoy
3 / 4
noun
molestation
moh-leh-STAY-shuhn/ˌməʊleˈsteɪʃn/
Abusive sexual contact, especially with a child.
Etymology
The action noun built on molestare originally meant annoying or harassing someone. Its selected sexual sense follows the verb’s narrowing from general disturbance to sexual assault or abuse.