confiscation

American  

[kon-fuh-skey-shuhn] / ˌkɒn fəˈskeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act, as a penalty, of seizing or appropriating something for public use or for ownership by the state.

   The government introduced a bill allowing the confiscation of property belonging to foreign states.

2. the act of seizing something by or as if by authority.

   In order to avoid confiscation of their cell phones under the strict new rule, many teens only became more secretive about using them.

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Other Word Forms

• nonconfiscation noun
• proconfiscation noun

Etymology

Origin of confiscation

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin cōnfiscātiōn-, stem of cōnfiscātiō “seizure,” from cōnfiscāt(us) “seized” (past participle of cōnfiscāre “to seize for the public treasury”; confiscate ( def. ) ) + -iō -ion ( def. )

Example Sentences

The federation said its 10-day confiscation policy aligned with government guidance.

From BBC

It favors planters with significant Malaysian upstream operations, as they benefit from strong sensitivity to crude palm oil prices, while facing limited risk of land confiscation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Herr Hartig, who wasn't Jewish, appears to have offered the family a solution to the impending confiscation of their assets by the Nazis.

From BBC

The merchants were pushed to protest after police seized some of their wares -- the confiscation of a van caused particular anger.

From Barron's

The confiscation of "problematic maps" by Chinese customs officers is not uncommon - though the number of the maps seized in Shandong easily eclipses past seizures.

From BBC

Related Words

• appropriation
• expropriation