petere

Petere is a Latin verb of the third conjugation with core meanings that include to seek or go toward, to head for; to ask, request, or demand; and to attack or advance against. In classical Latin it is highly versatile, appearing with a direct object in the accusative and in expressions of movement or pursuit. It can also convey figurative or abstract seeking, such as seeking peace, favor, or office.

Etymology and related terms: petere derives from the Latin root pet- and has produced several related forms and English derivatives, including petitio (a request) and petition.

Grammar and principal parts: The principal parts are petō, petere, petīvī, petītum. This yields the standard present tense petō, petis, petit, and so on; imperfect forms such as petēbam; perfect petīvī; supine petītum. The passive voice exists, though less common, and the present passive infinitive is petī. The verb commonly takes a direct object in the accusative (e.g., pacem petimus, we seek peace) and can take prepositional phrases to indicate source or direction, such as auxilium ab amicō petere (to seek help from a friend).

Usage in Latin: Petere appears in a wide range of contexts, from literal pursuit or attack (milites urbem petitunt, the soldiers attack/press toward the city) to more figurative requests for goods, offices, or favors (consulatum petere, to seek the consulship). It is also used with various temporal and aspectual forms to express the action of seeking or aiming.

Derivatives and influence: The verb gives rise to the noun petitio (a petition or request) and to related terms in Latin and English such as petition.