Prosecution

google

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mid 16th century (in prosecution (sense 2)): from Old French, or from late Latin prosecutio(n- ), from prosequi ‘pursue, accompany’ (see prosecute).

wiktionary

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Equivalent to prosecute +‎ -ion, from Middle French prosecution, [1] from Late Latin prōsecutio, from Latin prōsequor(“follow, pursue”), from pro-(“onward”) + sequor(“follow”) (English sequel). Compare persecution, and see more at prosecute.

etymonline

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prosecution (n.)

1560s, "the carrying out or following up of anything" (also literal, "action of pursuing, a following after," but this is obsolete), from French prosecution (late 13c.) and directly from Late Latin prosecutionem (nominative prosecutio) "a following," noun of action from past-participle stem of prosequi "to follow after; chase, pursue; attack, assail" (see prosecute). The meaning "legal action, the institution and carrying out of a suit at law" is from 1630s. Hence, transferred, "the party by whom legal proceedings are initiated" (1891).