burglar

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English

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Etymology

Borrowed from British Medieval Latin burglātor, from Old French burgeor (burglar), from Medieval Latin burgātor (burglar), from burgō (to commit burglary), from Late Latin burgus (fortified town), probably from Frankish *burg (fortress), from Proto-Germanic *burgz, *burgiją (borough, watch-tower). The -l- may have been inserted under influence from Latin latro (thief).

Pronunciation

Noun

burglar (plural burglars)

  1. A person who breaks in to premises with the intent of committing theft.
    The burglar made off with a large diamond from the museum.
    • 2010, Louis De Bernières, Notwithstanding, →ISBN, page 82:
      In the village itself his lionheartedness had been a legend ever since he had brained a burglar with a number seven iron, and the jury in Guildford had, despite the clear direction of the judge, resolutely declined to convict him for the use of unnecessary force.
    • 2017 June 23, Max Byrd, “A Trip to Southern Italy to Shed Light on a Family Scandal”, in The New York Times:
      There’s good reason to worry. In an earlier memoir, “Five-Finger Discount,” Stapinski recreated the terrifying world of swindlers, embezzlers, burglars and mobster wannabes who made up her extended Jersey City family.

Synonyms

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Translations

Verb

burglar (third-person singular simple present burglars, present participle burglaring, simple past and past participle burglared)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To commit burglary; to burgle.
    • 1901, Emma Orczy, The Robbery in Phillimore Terrace:
      The latter, with another constable, remained to watch the burglared premises both back and front, []

See also