Larceny: meaning, definitions and examples

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larceny

[ ˈlɑːsəni ]

^{Context #1}

in law

The unlawful taking and carrying away of someone else's property with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it.

Synonyms

robbery, stealing, theft

Examples of usage

He was charged with larceny for stealing the jewelry from the store.
The police caught the suspect in the act of committing larceny.

^{Context #2}

formal

The act of stealing something.

Synonyms

burglary, robbery, theft

Examples of usage

The company suffered losses due to employee larceny.
She was arrested for larceny of the valuable paintings.

Translations

Translations of the word "larceny" in other languages:

🇵🇹 furto

🇮🇳 चोरी

🇩🇪 Diebstahl

🇮🇩 pencurian

🇺🇦 крадіжка

🇵🇱 kradzież

🇯🇵 窃盗

🇫🇷 vol

🇪🇸 hurto

🇹🇷 hırsızlık

🇰🇷 절도

🇸🇦 سرقة

🇨🇿 krádež

🇸🇰 krádež

🇨🇳 盗窃

🇸🇮 tatvina

🇮🇸 þjófnaður

🇰🇿 ұрлық

🇬🇪 ქურდობა

🇦🇿 oğurluq

🇲🇽 hurto

Word origin

The word 'larceny' has its origins in Middle English from the Anglo-French word 'larcin', which came from the Latin word 'latrocinium' meaning 'robbery'. Over time, the term evolved to specifically refer to the unlawful taking of someone else's property with the intent to deprive them of it permanently. Larceny is a common term in legal contexts to describe theft and stealing.