theft

Meaning

The act of stealing property.

Synonyms

robbery

stealing

larceny

burglary

thievery

steal

thief

piracy

thieving

pilferage

robber

embezzlement

abstraction

pilfer

crime

plundering

lift

robbing

break-in

stealth

pilfering

burglar

despoilment

act of larceny

praedial larceny

an act of thievery

Empty Quiver

thiefdom

abduction

purloinment

breaking in

caper

cheating

crib

estrangement

filch

flight

✈️

fraud

hijacking

job

kidnapping

looting

misappropriation

peculation

pick-up

pillage

pinch

rip-off

shoplifting

swindling

Translations

vol

✈️

Diebstahl

robo

furto

diefstal

hurto

roubo

larcin

κλοπή

furto

سرقة

robatori

ontvreemding

latrocinio

Pronounced as (IPA)

/θɛft/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: theft

Inherited from Old English: þīefþ

Cognate with Old Frisian: thiuvethe

Cognate with Dutch: diefte

Cognate with German: Diebde

Cognate with Icelandic: þýfð

In summary

From Middle English theft, thefte, þefte, þefþe, þiefþe, Old English þīefþ, from Proto-West Germanic *þiubiþu, from Proto-Germanic *þiubiþō, from *þeubaz (“thief”), equivalent to thief or thieve + -t (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Old Frisian thiuvethe, thiufthe (“theft”), dialectal Dutch diefte (“theft”), obsolete German Diebde (“theft”), Icelandic þýfð (“theft”).