confiscate

[ verb kon-fuh-skeyt; adjective kuhn-fis-kit ]

verb (used with object)

, con·fis·cat·ed, con·fis·cat·ing.

1. to seize as forfeited to the public domain; appropriate, by way of penalty, for public use.
2. to seize by or as if by authority; appropriate summarily:

   The border guards confiscated our movie cameras.

adjective

1. seized or appropriated, as for public use.

confiscate

/ ˈkɒnfɪˌskeɪt /

verb

1. to seize (property), esp for public use and esp by way of a penalty

adjective

1. seized or confiscated; forfeit
2. having lost or been deprived of property through confiscation

Derived Forms

• ˌconfisˈcation, noun
• ˈconfisˌcator, noun

Other Words From

• con·fis·cat·a·ble adjective
• con·fis·ca·tion [kon-f, uh, -, skey, -sh, uh, n], noun
• con·fis·ca·tor noun
• re·con·fis·cate verb (used with object) reconfiscated reconfiscating
• un·con·fis·cat·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of confiscate¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin confiscātus “seized,” past participle of confiscāre “to seize for the public treasury,” equivalent to con- con- + fisc(us) “basket, moneybag, public treasury” ( fiscal ) + -āre, verb infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of confiscate¹

C16: from Latin confiscāre to seize for the public treasury, from fiscus basket, treasury

Example Sentences

Hundreds of state police and other law enforcement officers converged on Mink Slide early the next morning, forcing residents from their houses and confiscating their guns, jewelry and money.

From Washington Post

Yet the federal government continues to treat it like a schedule one narcotic — the same classification for heroin — and so sometimes its agents confiscate large amounts of product and cash.

From Voice of San Diego

Samuels said it would make sense if Border Patrol just logged shipments from state-licensed businesses and requested the Certificate of Analysis so they could keep track them, rather than confiscate the product.

From Voice of San Diego

Josh Swider, CEO of InfiniteCAL, a testing lab in San Diego, said one of his sampling technicians was stopped at the end of May and 14 samples of hemp were confiscated.

From Voice of San Diego

Four days earlier, on June 24, 1969, the police, led by Deputy Inspector Seymour Pine, raided the Stonewall Inn and began arresting bar employees and confiscating liquor.

From No Straight News

Related Words

• appropriate
• expropriate
• impound