Dictionary

larceny en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɑː.sɪ.ni/ (UK)
• /ˈlɑɹ.sə.ni/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈlɑː.sən.i/ (UK)

Etymology

Coined in Middle English (as larceni) between 1425 and 1475 from Anglo-Norman larcin (“theft”), from Latin latrocinium (“robbery”), from latro (“robber, mercenary”), from Ancient Greek λάτρον (látron, “pay, hire”). Doublet of latrociny.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The unlawful taking of personal property as an attempt to deprive the legal owner of it permanently.
   • He was prudent enough not to admit he was earning money, which went down well with you, for you knew already he was working “black,” as the Germans call it — meaning illegally, and at night. Shrewd chap, you thought; resourceful; not above a bit of larceny. 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:
   • “Why are you walking around,” inquired Oedipa, “with your eyes closed, Metzger?” “Larceny,” Metzger said, “maybe they'll need a lawyer.” 1966 March, Thomas Pynchon, chapter 3, in The Crying of Lot 49, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, published November 1976, →ISBN, page 37:
2. (countable) An individual instance of such a taking.
   • That young man already has four assaults, a DUI, and a larceny on his record.

Forms

Deriveds

mixed larceny · compound larceny · floral larceny · petit larceny · grand larceny · simple larceny · petty larceny

Relateds

larcenist · larcenous

Synonyms

theft · robbery

Translations (47)

pl kradzież (law: larcenous act) · fr larcin (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · cmn 偷盜罪 /偷盗罪 (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · sl tatvina (law: larcenous act) · ms larseni (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · ja 窃盗 (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · pt furto (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · fr larcin (law: larcenous act) · sl odtujitev (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · hu tolvajlás (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · pl kradzież (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · fa دزدی (law: larcenous act) · fr vol (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · izh varkahus (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · de Diebstahl (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · fa دزدی (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · da tyveri (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · nl diefstal (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · cs zlodějina (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · hu lopás (law: larcenous act) · ru хищение (law: larcenous act) · ota خرسزلق (law: larcenous act) · es latrocinio (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · ro furt (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · bg кражба (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · da tyveri (law: larcenous act) · is stuldur (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · nl ontvreemding (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · cmn 偷盜罪 /偷盗罪 (law: larcenous act) · is þjófnaður (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · gl furto (law: larcenous act) · fr vol (law: larcenous act) · cs krádež (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · gl furto (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · ru кра́жа (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · ota خرسزلق (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · ru воровство́ (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · fi varkaus (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · cmn 盜竊罪 /盗窃罪 (law: larcenous act) · hu lopás (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · ca furt (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · sl tatvina (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · es hurto (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · cmn 盜竊罪 /盗窃罪 (law: unlawful taking of personal property) · fi varkaus (law: larcenous act) · de Diebstahl (law: larcenous act) · pt furto (law: larcenous act)