conquest
UK[ˈkɒŋkwest]US[ˈkɑːŋkwest]
n
The act of taking control of a country, city, etc., by force
n
An area of land taken and controlled by force
n
The act of gaining control over something that is difficult or dangerous
Morpheme Breakdown
con
quest
con
together, thoroughly
quest
seek
Etymology
The word 'conquest' entered English in the 14th century from Old French 'conqueste', which itself derived from the Vulgar Latin 'conquaerere', a frequentative form of Latin 'conquirere' meaning 'to seek for, procure by effort'. This Latin verb is composed of 'con-' (thoroughly) and 'quaerere' (to seek, ask). The core logic of the word thus evolved from the literal sense of "thoroughly seeking or acquiring" to the more specific and forceful act of acquiring territory through military subjugation. Over time, its meaning broadened metaphorically to include overcoming any significant challenge or gaining control over a non-physical domain.
Analysis
Structure: con (together, thoroughly) + quest (seek)
'con-' is a Latin prefix meaning 'together, with, thoroughly'. 'quest' is from Latin 'quaerere' (to seek, ask), appearing in English as a root meaning 'to seek'.
Examples
The Norman conquest of England began in 1066.
The conquest of infectious diseases was a major goal of 20th-century medicine.
He boasted of his latest romantic conquest.