Dictionary

plunder en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /ˈplɜn-/ (General-American)
• /ˈplʌndə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈplʌndɚ/ (General-American)
• plŭn'də (General-American) r
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

Recorded since 1632 during the Thirty Years War, native British use since the Cromwellian Civil War. Borrowed from German plündern (“to loot”), from Middle High German, from Middle Low German plunderen, from a noun originally meaning "household goods, bedding, clothing," of obscure ultimate origin. This is first attested in medieval records, and according to Gijsseling, is therefore attested too late to be considered a substrate word. Due to the lack of obvious cognates in other languages from which it would have been loaned, it could have developed as some slang word in Lower Saxony/the Low Countries. Cognate with Dutch plunderen, West Frisian plonderje, Saterland Frisian plunnerje. Probably denominal from a word for “household goods, clothes, bedding”; compare Middle Dutch plunder, German Plunder (“stuff”), Dutch and West Frisian plunje (“clothes”). The Philippine definitions originate with the Anti-Plunder Act, an act of Congress enacted in 1991.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) An instance of plundering.
2. (uncountable) The loot attained by plundering.
   • The Hessian kept his choicest plunder in a sack that never left his person, for fear that his comrades would steal it.
3. (dated, slang, uncountable) Baggage; luggage.
   • […] till a long-legged boy brought him out of his revery, by an offer to carry his “plunder,” in whatsoever direction he might desire to direct his steps. 1880, The Peterson Magazine, volumes 77-78, page 215:
4. (Philippines, qualifier:crime, uncountable) The commission of plunder (verb definition 6).

Deriveds

house plunder · plunderless

Relateds

manubial

Synonyms

spoils · pelf · boodle · pillage · booty · prigging · swag · plunder · spoil · loot · sack · hot property · haul · fang · gizzit · pickings

Translations (80)

el λεία (loot attained by plundering) · nn bytte (loot attained by plundering) · el λεηλασία (instance of plundering) · tr talan (loot attained by plundering) · tr olca (loot attained by plundering) · ko 약탈 (instance of plundering) · it sacco (instance of plundering) · ota چاپول (instance of plundering) · pt saque (loot attained by plundering) · ga argain (instance of plundering) · sh plijȇn (loot attained by plundering) · ota غنیمت (loot attained by plundering) · fa چپاول (instance of plundering) · ru награ́бленное добро́ (loot attained by plundering) · it bottino (loot attained by plundering) · ru трофе́й (loot attained by plundering) · rup spolji (loot attained by plundering) · sv plundring (instance of plundering) · bg обир (instance of plundering) · de Beute (loot attained by plundering) · grc λάφυρα (loot attained by plundering) · sh plȇn (loot attained by plundering) · ota پلاچقه (loot attained by plundering) · de Raubgut (loot attained by plundering) · ota تاراج (loot attained by plundering) · ro pradă (loot attained by plundering) · xcl աւար (loot attained by plundering) · nb plyndring (instance of plundering) · el λάφυρα (loot attained by plundering) · pt butim (loot attained by plundering) · ga slad (loot attained by plundering) · rup pljashcã (loot attained by plundering) · cs lup (loot attained by plundering) · nl brandschatting (instance of plundering) · nl plundering (instance of plundering) · de Plünderung (instance of plundering) · bg плячка (loot attained by plundering) · fr butin (loot attained by plundering) · xcl ապուռ (loot attained by plundering) · ru добы́ча (loot attained by plundering) · ota تاراج (instance of plundering) · hy ավար (loot attained by plundering) · tr talan (instance of plundering) · el κούρσεμα (instance of plundering) · tr yağma (loot attained by plundering) · it saccheggio (instance of plundering) · cs kořist (loot attained by plundering) · tr ganimet (loot attained by plundering) · grc ἕλωρ (loot attained by plundering) · nl buit (loot attained by plundering) · el πλιάτσικο (instance of plundering) · grc σκῦλα (loot attained by plundering) · la praeda (loot attained by plundering) · nn plyndring (instance of plundering) · ota صویغون (instance of plundering) · hy թալան (loot attained by plundering) · ru разграбле́ние (instance of plundering) · rup pradã (loot attained by plundering) · tr plaçka (loot attained by plundering) · ru грабёж (instance of plundering) · fi ryöstö (instance of plundering) · fr pillage (instance of plundering) · tr çapul (loot attained by plundering) · sh плије̑н (loot attained by plundering) · fa غارَت (instance of plundering) · la rapīna (instance of plundering) · tr yağma (instance of plundering) · hu zsákmány (loot attained by plundering) · pt saque (instance of plundering) · nl plunderbuit (loot attained by plundering) · sh пле̑н (loot attained by plundering) · bg грабеж (instance of plundering) · gd creach (loot attained by plundering) · pt pilhagem (instance of plundering) · fa تاراج (instance of plundering) · el λαφυραγώγηση (instance of plundering) · el διαγούμισμα (instance of plundering) · nb bytte (loot attained by plundering) · ota چاپول (loot attained by plundering) · fi ryöstösaalis (loot attained by plundering)

plunder en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /ˈplɜn-/ (General-American)
• /ˈplʌndə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈplʌndɚ/ (General-American)
• plŭn'də (General-American) r
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

Recorded since 1632 during the Thirty Years War, native British use since the Cromwellian Civil War. Borrowed from German plündern (“to loot”), from Middle High German, from Middle Low German plunderen, from a noun originally meaning "household goods, bedding, clothing," of obscure ultimate origin. This is first attested in medieval records, and according to Gijsseling, is therefore attested too late to be considered a substrate word. Due to the lack of obvious cognates in other languages from which it would have been loaned, it could have developed as some slang word in Lower Saxony/the Low Countries. Cognate with Dutch plunderen, West Frisian plonderje, Saterland Frisian plunnerje. Probably denominal from a word for “household goods, clothes, bedding”; compare Middle Dutch plunder, German Plunder (“stuff”), Dutch and West Frisian plunje (“clothes”). The Philippine definitions originate with the Anti-Plunder Act, an act of Congress enacted in 1991.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.
   • Now Azaēlos, the king of Syria, made war on the Israelites and their king Jehu, and ravaged the eastern parts of the country across the Jordan […] spreading fire everywhere and plundering everything and inflicting violence on all who fell into his hands. 1937, Josephus, Ralph Marcus, transl., chapter VIII, in Josephus: With an English Translation (Loeb Classical Library), volume VI (Jewish Antiquities), London: William Heinemann Ltd.; Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, published 1958, →OCLC, book IX, paragraph 1, page 87:
   • The shopkeeper was plundered of his possessions by the burglar.
   • The mercenaries plundered the small town.
2. (transitive) To take (goods) by pillage.
   • The mercenaries plundered all the goods they found.
3. (intransitive) To take by force or wrongfully; to commit robbery or looting, to raid.
   • “Now to plunder, mateys!” screamed a buccaneer, to cries of “Arrgh!” and “Aye!” all around.
4. (transitive) To make extensive (over)use of, as if by plundering; to use or use up wrongfully.
   • The miners plundered the jungle for its diamonds till it became a muddy waste.
5. (transitive) To take unexpectedly.
   • The Serb teed up Steve Davis, who crossed low for Graziano Pellè to plunder his fifth league goal of the campaign. 2014 October 18, Paul Doyle, “Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter”, in The Guardian:
6. (Philippines, qualifier:criminal law) To amass ill-gotten wealth (by public officials) through a combination or series of overt criminal acts.

Forms

Deriveds

replunder · plunderingly · plunderphonics · plunderess · plunderfish · plundersome · plunderous · plunderer · plunderage · unplundered · plunderable

Synonyms

rifle · ravage

Translations (162)

hu kifoszt (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · rup prad (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · hy թալանել (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · el κουρσεύω (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · mi pāhue (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · nl opgebruiken (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · sv plundra (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · grc συλάω (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nl roven (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · fi ryöstää (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · it predare (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · bg ограбвам (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · nl plunderen (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · nl brandschatten (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · izh rööstää (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · mi hone (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · fi ryöstää (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · hy կողոպտել (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · ka იპარავს (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · cy ysbeilio (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ota چاپوللامق (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ro despuia (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · el λεηλατώ (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · pl obłupić (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · mi mūrei (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nl plunderen (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · tr çalmak (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · oc pilhar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · cmn 掠奪 /掠夺 (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · grc πορθέω (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · pt saquear (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · egy HA-A-q:D40 (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nl uitputten (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · uk розграбува́ти (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · el πλιατσικολογώ (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · rup mprad (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · gd creach (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · pl obrabować (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · el διαγουμίζω (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nl roven (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · es predar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ka ძარცვავს (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · rup dispolj (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ka იტაცებს (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · id menjarah (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · wa haper (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · pl złupić (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · wa piyî (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · de plündern (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · pl rabować (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · wa piyî (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · tr talan etmek (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · sv plundra (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · mi pāhuahua (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · la expīlō (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · pl zagrabić (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ka ძარცვავს (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · es desvalijar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · gd creach (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · mi pāhue (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nl plunderen (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · uk розграбо́вувати (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · pl zrabować (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nn plyndre (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · uk плюндрува́ти (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · cs rabovat (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ka იტაცებს (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · ota چاپوللامق (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · mi pāhua (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · la praedo (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · pl łupić (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · hy կողոպտել (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ga slad (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · it depredare (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · yi אַוועקגזלען (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · wa forsipoujhî (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · es prear (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · it saccheggiare (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · nb plyndre (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · oc saquejar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ro prăda (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ar حَرَبَ (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nb plyndre (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · pl ograbić (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ga creach (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · wa piyî (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · pt bundar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · de ausplündern (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · izh rööstää (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · nn plyndre (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · pt saquear (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · az talan etmək (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · de ausplündern (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · pt pilhar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · hu kirabol (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · pt pilhar (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · de plündern (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · ja 略奪する (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · mi tūkuku (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · grc σκυλεύω (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · izh rööstää (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · pl splądrować (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nl leegroven (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · bg плячкосвам (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nl plunderen (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · wa branscater (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · nn plyndre (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · hy խլել (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · mi tūkuku (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · pl grabić (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · uk поплюндрува́ти (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · it razziare (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · pa ਲੁੱਟਣਾ (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · el λαφυραγωγώ (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · de ausbeuten (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · az talamaq (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · mi hui (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · ka გლეჯს (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · tr gasp etmek (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · cs loupit (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · sv plundra (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · it fare man bassa (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · el καταληστεύω (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · mi whakarekereke (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · uk сплюндрува́ти (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · de plündern (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · mi kōhunu (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · uk грабува́ти (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · he בַּז (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ka ძარცვავს (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · mi hone (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · tr aşırmak (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · pl plądrować (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ca saquejar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ang strūdan (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · hu fosztogat (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · fi ryöstää (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · pt saquear (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ca pillar (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ka იტაცებს (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · mi pāhuahua (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · nb plyndre (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · ar نَهَبَ (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · gd creach (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · la populor (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · it saccheggiare (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · bg грабя (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · wa piyî (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · it rapinare (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · el λεηλατώ (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · hu kifoszt (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ar سَلَبَ (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · fr piller (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · hy թալանել (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · cs vyplenit (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · fi ryöstää (3. to commit robbery or looting (intransitive)) · ru гра́бить (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · pt pilhar (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · mi pāhua (3. to take by force or wrongfully) · mi whakarekereke (4. to use or use up wrongfully) · tr yağmalamak (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive)) · ga slad (1. to take all the goods of, by force (as in war) (transitive))