Following or in agreement with something, especially a law, rule, or instruction; often used in formal or legal language.
From Anglo‑French *pursuant*, present participle of *pursuir* ('to pursue'), from Latin *prosequi* ('to follow'). The word kept the idea of 'following' but became specialized in legal and official contexts.
When legal documents say 'pursuant to section 5', they’re really just saying 'following the rules in section 5'. It’s a good example of how law loves French‑flavored words to sound more serious than everyday English.
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