pursuit
UK[pəˈsjuːt]US[pərˈsuːt]
n
the act of following or chasing someone or something
n
an activity that you spend time doing, usually when you are not working
Morpheme Breakdown
pur
suit
pur
forward
suit
follow
Etymology
the word "pursuit" entered english in the late 14th century from anglo-french 'pursuite', meaning "persecution, act of pursuing." its core components are the old french prefix 'pur-' (a form of 'por-', meaning "forward") and the noun 'suite' (meaning "a following"). both elements trace back to latin: 'prō-' (forward, forth) and 'sequī' (to follow). the literal sense of "following forward" evolved from the physical act of chasing to encompass the persistent striving towards any goal or activity, capturing the modern dual meanings of a chase and a dedicated hobby or occupation.
Analysis
Structure: pur (forward) + suit (follow)
'pur' is from old french 'pur-', a variant of 'por-' (forth, forward), from latin 'prō-'. 'suit' is from old french 'suite' (act of following), from vulgar latin 'sequita', from latin 'sequī' (to follow).
Examples
the police were in pursuit of the stolen vehicle.
he moved to the countryside to dedicate more time to his artistic pursuits.
the pursuit of happiness is considered a fundamental right.