Origin: 1250–1300; (v.)
Middle English a(
p)
pelen <
Anglo-French, Old French a(
p)
peler <
Latin appellāre to speak to, address, equivalent to
ap- ap-1 +
-pellāre, iterative stem of
pellere to push, beat against; (noun)
Middle English ap(
p)
el <
Anglo-French, Old French apel, noun derivative of
ap(
p)
eler Related formsap·peal·a·bil·i·ty, noun
ap·peal·a·ble, adjective
ap·peal·er, noun
non·ap·peal·a·bil·i·ty, noun
non·ap·peal·a·ble, adjective
EXPANDre·ap·peal, verb
un·ap·pealed, adjective
COLLAPSESynonyms
1. prayer, supplication, invocation. 2. suit, solicitation. 4. attraction. 6. request, ask. Appeal, entreat, petition, supplicate mean to ask for something wished for or needed. Appeal and petition may concern groups and formal or public requests. Entreat and supplicate are usually more personal and urgent. To appeal is to ask earnestly for help or support, on grounds of reason, justice, common humanity, etc.: to appeal for contributions to a cause. To petition is to ask by written request, by prayer, or the like, that something be granted: to petition for more playgrounds. Entreat suggests pleading: The captured knight entreated the king not to punish him. To supplicate is to beg humbly, usually from a superior, powerful, or stern (official) person: to supplicate that the lives of prisoners be spared.