persecutor
UK[ˈpɜːsɪkjuːtə]US[ˈpɜːrsɪkjuːtər]
n
a person who subjects someone to hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of their race or political or religious beliefs.
Morpheme Breakdown
per
secut
or
per
through, thoroughly
secut
follow
or
agent noun suffix
Etymology
the word persecutor has its roots in the latin verb persequi, meaning "to pursue, follow persistently, or prosecute." this verb itself is a compound of the prefix per-, denoting "through" or "thoroughly," and sequi, meaning "to follow." the literal sense was thus "to follow through to the end." in late latin, this evolved into persecutus, the past participle, which carried into ecclesiastical latin with the specific meaning of "to harass for one's beliefs." the agent noun suffix -or was then added to form persecutor, denoting one who carries out such oppressive pursuit. the semantic journey reflects a shift from a general sense of determined pursuit to the modern, specialized meaning of systematic oppression, particularly on grounds of faith or ideology.
Analysis
Structure: per (through, thoroughly) + secut (follow) + or (agent noun suffix)
per: latin origin, a prefix meaning "through, thoroughly, to completion."
secut: from latin sequi (to follow), appearing in english as the bound root "secut" or "sequ."
or: latin agent noun suffix, indicating "a person or thing that does something."
Examples
the historical records describe him as a ruthless persecutor of religious minorities.
in the novel, the protagonist flees from her political persecutors.
he saw himself not as an aggressor, but as a victim turned persecutor.