petition

See also: Petition and pétition

English

Etymology

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French peticiun, from stem of Latin petitio, petitionem (“a request, solicitation”), from petere (“to require, seek, go forward”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /pəˈtɪʃ.ən/
    • Audio (Southern England)(file)

Noun

petition (plural petitions)

  1. A formal, written request made to an official person or organized body, often containing many signatures.
  2. A compilation of signatures built in order to exert moral authority in support of a specific cause.
    We're looking to get 10,000 people to sign the petition to have the bird colony given legal protection.
  3. (law) A formal written request for judicial action.
  4. A prayer; a supplication; an entreaty.

Derived terms

Translations
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Verb

petition (third-person singular simple present petitions, present participle petitioning, simple past and past participle petitioned)

  1. (transitive) To make a request to, commonly in written form.
    The villagers petitioned the council to demolish the dangerous building.

Translations
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