Expressed objection or disagreement publicly, often as part of organized opposition to policies or conditions.
From Latin 'protestari' meaning 'to declare publicly,' from 'pro-' (forth) and 'testari' (to witness). Originally meant any public declaration, but by the 16th century focused on declarations of objection or dissent.
The evolution from 'public declaration' to 'objection' reflects how power structures shape language - when most public declarations became complaints against authority, the word's meaning narrowed. Modern protests blend ancient witness-bearing with contemporary mass communication.
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