pursuing
UK[pəˈsjuːɪŋ]US[pərˈsuːɪŋ]
v
following or chasing someone or something in order to catch or attack them
v
trying to achieve or obtain something over a period of time
v
continuing to investigate, discuss, or be involved with something
Morpheme Breakdown
pur
su
ing
pur
forward
su
follow
ing
present participle suffix
Etymology
the word 'pursuing' originates from the anglo-norman french 'pursuer', itself derived from the latin verb 'prosequi', meaning 'to follow, accompany, or pursue'. the latin term is a compound of 'pro-' (forward) and 'sequi' (to follow), painting a vivid picture of following something forward with intent. this literal sense of following closely evolved into the modern english meanings of chasing, striving for a goal, or continuing an activity. the '-ing' suffix, of germanic origin, was later attached to form the present participle, indicating an ongoing action.
Analysis
Structure: pur (forward) + su (follow) + ing (present participle suffix)
- pur: from latin 'pro-', meaning 'forward, forth, in front of'. serves as an intensifying prefix in this word.
- su: from latin 'sequi', meaning 'to follow'. this is the core root of the word.
- ing: from old english '-ende', a suffix used to form the present participle of verbs.
Examples
the police car was pursuing the suspect at high speed.
she is actively pursuing a degree in environmental science.
the committee is pursuing several lines of inquiry into the matter.