loot

¹

[ loot ]

noun

1. spoils or plunder taken by pillaging, as in war.

   Synonyms: booty

2. anything taken by dishonesty, force, stealth, etc.:

   a burglar's loot.

3. a collection of valued objects:

   The children shouted and laughed as they opened their Christmas loot.

4. Slang. money:

   You'll have a fine time spending all that loot.

5. the act of looting or plundering:

   to take part in the loot of a conquered city.

6. (in a video game) valuable items that can be claimed from a defeated enemy or cache:

   I was hoping for new armor, but this loot was pretty disappointing.

verb (used with object)

1. to carry off or take (something) as loot:

   to loot a nation's art treasures.

2. to despoil by taking loot; plunder or pillage (a city, house, etc.), as in war:

   The invaders looted temples and shrines.

   Synonyms: ransack, sack

3. to rob, as by burglary or corrupt activity in public office:

   to loot the public treasury.

4. (in a video game) to collect (items from a defeated enemy or cache):

   Loot all of the bodies and treasure chests before you exit the dungeon.

verb (used without object)

1. to take loot; plunder:

   The conquerors looted and robbed.

loot

²

[ loot ]

verb

, Scot.

1. simple past tense of let ¹.

loot

/ luːt /

noun

1. goods stolen during pillaging, as in wartime, during riots, etc
2. goods, money, etc, obtained illegally
3. informal.
   money or wealth
4. the act of looting or plundering

verb

1. to pillage (a city, settlement, etc) during war or riots
2. to steal (money or goods), esp during pillaging

Derived Forms

• ˈlooter, noun

Other Words From

• looter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of loot¹

First recorded in 1780–90; from Hindi lūṭ, from Sanskrit lotra, loptra “booty, spoil”

Word History and Origins

Origin of loot¹

C19: from Hindi lūt

Example Sentences

Botala remembers that the rebels would pull into the island, loot what they could, and then take the haul back to Stanleyville.

From The Daily Beast

For years, William Schmidt single-handedly dug a tunnel through a mountain to transport his gold-rush loot.

From The Daily Beast

Go and loot shops from business owners who were not part of the original problem whatsoever.

From The Daily Beast

Sayyed, who never went to school, was one of the laborers hired by organized gangs to loot.

From The Daily Beast

Then he pushed his loot outside and up the street towards his house.

From The Daily Beast

The Christians who were unable to escape were either massacred or carried off as slaves into the interior, with the loot.

From Project Gutenberg

The fires were being rekindled; around each little groups, over the loot of the Turkish camps.

From Project Gutenberg

For he was certain that the isolated structure Soriki had pointed out was not the treasure house they had come to loot.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, live-stock were fair loot, and so were carpets and other house-furniture, and arms of course.

From Project Gutenberg

What did they care for Urmi men and the settlement of Persia, when balanced against such a chance of loot and vengeance?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• booty
• spoils