First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1petition
noun pe·ti·tion \pə-ˈti-shən\
: a written document that many people sign to show that they want a person or organization to do or change something
: a formal written request made to an official person or organization
law : a formal written request to have a legal case decided by a court
Full Definition of PETITION
1
: an earnest request : entreaty
2
a : a formal written request made to an official person or organized body (as a court) b : a document embodying such a formal written request
3
: something asked or requested
— pe·ti·tion·ary \-ˈti-shə-ˌner-ē\ adjective
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See petition defined for kids
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Origin of PETITION
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin petition-, petitio, from petere to seek, request — more at feather
Related to PETITION
- Synonyms
- adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, plea, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication
Rhymes with PETITION
addition, admission, ambition, attrition, audition, beautician, clinician, cognition, coition, commission, condition, contrition, demission, dentition, dismission, Domitian, edition, emission, ethician, fruition, ignition, Kittitian, lenition, logician, magician, Mauritian, monition, mortician, munition, musician, nutrition, omission, optician, partition, patrician, perdition, permission, Phoenician, physician, Politian, position, punition, remission, rendition, sedition, submission, suspicion, tactician, technician, tradition, transition, transmission, tuition, volition
2petition
verb
: to ask (a person, group, or organization) for something in a formal way
pe·ti·tionedpe·ti·tion·ing \-ˈti-sh(ə-)niŋ\
Full Definition of PETITION
transitive verb
: to make a request to : solicit
intransitive verb
: to make a request; especially : to make a formal written request
— pe·ti·tion·er \-sh(ə-)nər\ noun
See petition defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of PETITION
1607
Related to PETITION
- Synonyms
- appeal (to), beseech, besiege, conjure, entreat, impetrate, implore, importune, beg, plead (to), pray, solicit, supplicate
Rhymes with PETITION
PETITION Defined for Kids
1petition
noun pe·ti·tion \pə-ˈti-shən\
Definition of PETITION for Kids
1
: an earnest appeal
2
: a formal written request made to an authority
2petition
verb
pe·ti·tionedpe·ti·tion·ing
Definition of PETITION for Kids
: to make an often formal request to or for
— pe·ti·tion·er noun
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