What does prosecution mean?
“Prosecution” most often means the legal process of bringing someone accused of a crime to trial, or the officials responsible for that process. A court case may be described as strong or weak depending on “the prosecution,” while the opposing side is “the defence.” The word can also refer more broadly to persistent efforts to expose wrongdoing or pursue a policy, as in “the prosecution of the war.” Its legal sense is distinguished from “persecution,” which implies repeated or unjustified mistreatment rather than a formal criminal case. The word comes through Old French from Latin prosecutio, related to prosecutere, “to follow through” or “to pursue,” and ultimately to prosequi, “to follow.” Today, “prosecution” is especially useful for describing both the machinery of criminal justice and the broader act of pursuing wrongdoing or demanding accountability.
nounThe legal process of bringing a person or organization accused of a crime to trial, or the authority responsible for doing so. In broader contexts, the word can also mean persistent efforts to pursue or achieve something.
- The legal process of bringing an accused person or organization to trial.
- The public authority or officials responsible for prosecuting criminal cases.
- The effort to pursue, expose, or bring about something, especially wrongdoing or a harmful practice.
- The act of following through with an action or endeavour.
"The prosecution withdrew the case after new evidence emerged."
"The prosecution presented evidence linking the defendant to the fraud."
"Public concern about the prosecution of the war grew throughout the country."
Plural form used for separate legal cases, prosecuting authorities, or broader instances of pursuing wrongdoing or a policy.
"The government faced criminal prosecutions related to the corruption scandal."
In courtrooms, “prosecution” can mean either the legal case itself or the team pursuing it, reflecting the word’s connection with the Latin root for “follow through.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does prosecution come from?
The word entered English through Old French prosecucion, from Latin prosecutio, a noun formed from prosecutere. Latin prosecutere meant “to follow through” or “to pursue,” and developed the legal sense of bringing a criminal case before a court. The underlying Latin prosequi combined pro-, meaning “forward” or “onward,” with sequi, “to follow,” and is also the source of cognates such as “pursue” and “prosecute.”
Related word forms
How prosecution is actually used
In legal contexts, the term is most commonly associated with criminal cases. “The prosecution” can refer to the case, the process, or the prosecuting authority. The broader sense of vigorously pursuing a course of action is less common and may suggest aggressive or determined effort.
Easily confused with prosecution
Prosecution is the legal process of bringing a criminal case, whereas persecution refers to persistent and often unjustified harm or treatment.
Prosecution is a noun naming the legal process or authority, while prosecute is the verb describing the act of bringing a case.