noun

persecution

pur-sih-KYOO-shuhn/ˌpɜːrsɪˈkjuːʃn/

Systematic mistreatment because of identity, beliefs, or group membership.

The family's exclusion from the public meeting is an act of persecution.

A family is unfairly barred from entering public meeting while others enter freely, targeted religious minority indicated by modest head coverings, distressed dignity, no caricature or violence.

Etymology

perLatinthrough

+secutLatinto follow

+ionLatinaction or process

The underlying verb meant to pursue, hunt down, or proceed against someone; the suffix names that action. In English, persecution applied this hostile pursuit to oppression for a belief or opinion.

In context

TED-Ed2:50

those who stayed risked persecution. Converts to Christianity, known as conversos, weren’t even safe, because authorities suspected them of practicing Judaism in secret.

Ugly History: The Spanish Inquisition - Kayla Wolf

More examples

The law protects minority groups from persecution.
She seeks asylum after years of political persecution.
The community remembers the persecutions its ancestors endured.

Forms

persecution · persecutions

persecute verb — Mistreat systematically because of identity or beliefs.

persecutor noun — Someone who systematically mistreats people for their identity or beliefs.

Similar words

oppression: Emphasizes unjust control and domination, not necessarily identity-based targeting.
discrimination: Emphasizes unequal treatment, without necessarily involving sustained abuse.
harassment: Emphasizes repeated unwanted behavior, not necessarily targeting group identity.