theft

Middle English

/θeːft/, /θiːft/

noun
Definitions
  • Theft, stealing, robbery in general or as an individual instance
  • Financial fraud; the acquiring of financial goods maliciously.
  • Some act viewed negatively compared or equated to theft.
  • Stolen or illegally acquired goods or possessions.
  • (rare) An alleged instance of robbery.

Etymology

Inherited from Old English þīefþ inherited from Proto-Germanic *þiubiþō affix from Middle English thef.

Origin

Middle English

thef

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms