molested
UK[məˈlɛstɪd]US[məˈlɛstɪd]
v
Past tense and past participle of molest. To assault or interfere with (someone, especially a child or woman) sexually.
v
Past tense and past participle of molest. To pester or harass (someone) in a hostile or aggressive way.
Morpheme Breakdown
molest
ed
molest
to disturb
ed
past tense suffix
Etymology
The word 'molested' originates from the Latin adjective molestus, meaning "troublesome" or "annoying," which itself derives from moles, signifying a "mass" or "burden." This etymological path reflects the concept of a heavy trouble being imposed upon someone. In English, the verb 'molest' initially carried the general sense of causing annoyance or interference, a meaning still present in legal contexts like "molesting a witness." Over time, and particularly in the 20th century, its usage narrowed and intensified, becoming predominantly associated with sexual assault, especially against children. The '-ed' suffix is the standard Germanic marker for the past tense, completing the word's form to describe an action that has been carried out.
Analysis
Structure: molest (to disturb) + ed (past tense suffix)
molest: From Latin molestus (troublesome, annoying), from moles (mass, burden, exertion). Functions as the verb root meaning to trouble or disturb.
ed: From Old English -ede, -ode, -ade (past tense suffix for weak verbs). Functions as the inflectional suffix indicating past tense or past participle.
Examples
The victim testified that she was molested as a child.
The report confirmed that the prisoners had been physically molested by their captors.
He was arrested for having molested several young boys over a period of years.