Dictionary

defalcation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• [ˌdɛfəɫˈkeɪʃən] (UK)

Etymology

Late 15th century, from Medieval Latin dēfalcātiōnem, accusative singular of dēfalcātiō (literally “cutting off, lopping off with a sickle”), nominalization of dēfalcō, from Latin dē (“off”) + falx (“sickle, scythe, pruning hook”), from which also English falcate (“sickle-shaped”). By surface analysis, defalcate + -ion (“the act of”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The act of cancelling part of a claim by deducting a smaller claim which the claimant owes to the defendant.
2. (countable, uncountable) Embezzlement.
   • “Why should Eldridge commit murder?[…]There was only one possible motive—namely, he wished to avoid detection as James Selby of Anaconda Ltd. He had settled down in Estrepps. There were several persons in the town who had suffered from his defalcations.[…]” 1931, Francis Beeding, “10/6”, in Death Walks in Eastrepps:
   • Assassination is pointless. Leningrad would quickly cover up his defalcations and make him into a martyr. 1953, Ian Fleming, “Dossier for M”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 19:
   • Granting that Mr. Ireland had gone into his office at ten minutes to ten o'clock at night for the purpose of extracting £5000 worth of notes and gold from the bank safe, whilst giving the theft the appearance of a night burglary; […] why should he, at nine o'clock the following morning, fall in a dead faint and get cerebral congestion at sight of a defalcation he knew had occurred? 1909, Emma Orczy, chapter XIX, in The Old Man in the Corner:

Forms

Relateds

falcate · defalcate

Translations (4)

bg наче́т (embezzlement) · de Unterschlagung (embezzlement) · de Veruntreuung (embezzlement) · es desfalco (embezzlement)