petition

UK: /pəˈtɪʃ^ən/ US: /pəˈtɪʃən/ ,(pə tish′ən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pe•ti•tion /pəˈtɪʃən/   n. [countable]

1. a formally written request or document, often signed by those agreeing to it, addressed to those in authority, asking for some favor, right, or benefit:
   presented the petition, signed by over a thousand people, to the mayor.
2. a respectful or humble request, as to a superior.
3. something asked for or sought by request:
   a petition for divorce.

v. 

4. to address a petition to (an authority):
   [~ + object] The hurricane victims petitioned the governor for help during the emergency.
5. to ask by petition for (something);
   beg for or request: [~ + object]
   The citizen's group petitioned a change in the zoning laws.
   [~ + for + object]
   They petitioned for a change in the zoning laws.
   [~ + to + verb]
   petitioned to change the zoning laws.

pe•ti•tion•er, n. [countable] See -pet-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pe•ti•tion  (pə tish′ən), n. 

1. a formally drawn request, often bearing the names of a number of those making the request, that is addressed to a person or group of persons in authority or power, soliciting some favor, right, mercy, or other benefit:
   a petition for clemency; a petition for the repeal of an unfair law.
2. a request made for something desired, esp. a respectful or humble request, as to a superior or to one of those in authority;
   a supplication or prayer:
   a petition for aid; a petition to God for courage and strength.
3. something that is sought by request or entreaty:
   to receive one's full petition.
4. Law an application for a court order or for some judicial action.

v.t. 

5. to beg for or request (something).
6. to address a formal petition to (a sovereign, a legislative body, etc.):
   He received everything for which he had petitioned the king.
7. to ask by petition for (something).

v.i. 

8. to present a petition.
9. to address or present a formal petition.
10. to request or solicit, as by a petition:
    to petition for redress of grievances.

• Latin petītiōn- (stem of petītiō) a seeking out, equivalent. to petīt(us) (past participle of petere to seek) + -iōn- -ion
• Middle French peticion)
• Middle English peticioun (1300–50

pe•ti′tion•a•ble, adj. 
pe•ti′tion•er, pe•ti′tion•ist, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. suit.
• 2. entreaty, solicitation, appeal.
• 9. solicit, sue. See appeal. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

petition / pɪˈtɪʃən/ noun

1. a document signed by a large number of people demanding some form of action from a government or other authority
2. any formal request to a higher authority or deity; entreaty
3. a formal application in writing made to a court asking for some specific judicial action: a petition for divorce
4. the action of petitioning

verb

1. (transitive) to address or present a petition to (a person in authority, government, etc): to petition Parliament
2. (intransitive) followed by for: to seek by petition

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin petītiō, from petere to seek

peˈtitionary adjective