Other forms: oppressed, oppressing, oppresses
To oppress is to rule people cruelly and deny them freedom. Oppress the population, an oppressed minority, oppressed for generations.
It names sustained systematic treatment rather than single acts, which is why it applies to groups more naturally than to individuals. Of a feeling it means weighing down: oppressed by worry. Note oppression, oppressive; and that the Latin means to press against.
1verboppressTo rule people cruelly and deny them freedom.
“For decades, the dictator oppressed anyone who spoke against him.”
oppress is a cruel ruling.
Latin opprimere is ob plus premere, to press. Press, express and print come from the same pressing.
Latin
opprimere
Medieval Latin
oppressare — to press against, oppress
Old French
oppresser
Middle English
oppressen
English, today
oppress
Built from
From Middle English oppressen, from Old French oppresser, from Medieval Latin oppressare (“to press against, oppress”), frequentative of Latin opprimere, past participle oppressus (“to press against, press together, oppress”), from ob (“against”) + premere, past participle pressus (“to press”); see press.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA