per·pet·u·a·tion \ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈwāshən\noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English perpetuacioun, from Medieval Latin perpetuation-, perpetuatio, from Latin perpetuatus + -ion-, -io -ion : the act or process of perpetuating : preservation < perpetuation of the culture — A.L.Kroeber > < the perpetuation of social inequalities — George Sampson >