burglar en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈbɝɡlɚ/ (General-American)
- /ˈbɜːɡlə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
16th century, from Medieval Latin burglātor, British byform of burgātor (“burglar”), derived from burgō (“to commit burglary”), from Late Latin burgus (“fortified town”), itself probably from Frankish *burg (“fortress”), from Proto-Germanic *burgz, *burgiją (“borough, watch-tower”). The -l- in burglātor may have been inserted under influence from Latin latro (“thief”). The shortened English form may have arisen through confluence with Old French burgeor (“burglar”), itself from the same Latin source.
Meanings
-
A person who breaks in to premises with the intent of committing a crime, usually theft.
The burglar made off with a large diamond from the museum.
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.
2010, Louis De Bernières, Notwithstanding, →ISBN, page 82: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.
2017 June 23, Max Byrd, “A Trip to Southern Italy to Shed Light on a Family Scandal”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 25 Jun 2017:Corona, who carries a pistol filled not with bullets but with tequila and drives around in his pickup truck that says “Porder Batrol” on the side, says he was playing pickleball at the time, which allowed the burglar free rein to the territory.
2025 February 1, Noah Goldberg, “He runs a desert micro-nation by the Salton Sea. Population Zero.”, in Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2025:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| burglars | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
burglary · burglaree · burglarious · burglarize · cat burglar · cat-burglar · turd burglar · burglarise · burglarproof · burglar alarm · burglar bar · antiburglar · burglarous · burgle · time burglar · burglarously · gin burglar
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
cat burglar · shoplifter · heister · second-storey man
Relateds
Synonyms
housebreaker · drawlatch · sneck lifter · burglarizer · burglar · cracksman
Translations (83)
it scassinatore (Translations) · cmn 竊賊 /窃贼 (Translations) · km ចោរ (Translations) · gl ladroa (Translations) · grc τοιχωρύχος (Translations) · nds Inbräkersch (Translations) · ko 강도 (Translations) · ota اوغری (Translations) · th ขโมย (Translations) · nb innbruddstyv (Translations) · nds Inbräkersche (Translations) · nds Inbräkerin (Translations) · cs lupič (Translations) · nds Inbrekersche (Translations) · nb innbruddstjuv (Translations) · el διαρρήκτρια (Translations) · io domofurtisto (Translations) · gl ladrón (Translations) · be узло́мшчык (Translations) · he פּוֹרֶצֶת (Translations) · nds Inbräker (Translations) · lb Abriecher (Translations) · hi लुटेरा (Translations) · pl włamywacz (Translations) · sv inbrottstjuv (Translations) · tr hırsız (Translations) · ms perompak (Translations) · pt ladrão (Translations) · fr cambrioleur (Translations) · ca lladre (Translations) · vo jinübreikan (Translations) · de Einbrecher (Translations) · cy torrwr tai (Translations) · es ladrón (Translations) · ru взло́мщик (Translations) · uk зло́мщик (Translations) · he פּוֹרֵץ (Translations) · is innbrotsþjófur (Translations) · ca espanyaportes (Translations) · fr cambrioleuse (Translations) · ru взло́мщица (Translations) · nn innbrottstjuv (Translations) · az evyaran (Translations) · bg крадец с взлом (Translations) · nb innbrottstyv (Translations) · nds Inbreker (Translations) · nds Inbrekerin (Translations) · tyv оор (Translations) · cmn 竊盜 /窃盗 (Translations) · nn innbrotstjuv (Translations) · de Einbrecherin (Translations) · el διαρρήκτης (Translations) · vo hinübreikan (Translations) · enm brekere (Translations) · la effractor (Translations) · gl garduño (Translations) · fa دزد (Translations) · io ruptofurtisto (Translations) · ro spărgător (Translations) · la perfossor (Translations) · nl inbreekster (Translations) · cy lleidr (Translations) · ga buirgléir (Translations) · nds Inbrekersch (Translations) · pl włamywaczka (Translations) · hu betörő (Translations) · it scassinatrice (Translations) · nb innbrottstjuv (Translations) · io ruptofurtero (Translations) · th โจร (Translations) · ja 夜盗 (Translations) · ru дому́шница (Translations) · vo nübreikan (Translations) · ota خرسز (Translations) · ru дому́шник (Translations) · id pencuri (Translations) · fi murtovaras (Translations) · eo domŝtelisto (Translations) · id maling (Translations) · jv maling (Translations) · mk провалник (Translations) · ja 強盗 (Translations) · nl inbreker (Translations)