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Synonyms

marauder

American  
[muh-raw-der] / məˈrɔ dər /

noun

  1. someone who travels around plundering or pillaging.

    China built its famous Great Wall to keep out marauders from the steppes.


Etymology

Origin of marauder

maraud ( def. ) + -er 2 ( def. )

Explanation

A marauder is someone who roams around looking for things to steal. You might hear news reports about a marauder breaking into cars in your neighborhood. The word marauder entered English in the 17th century, from the Middle French word maraud, meaning "rascal." Even in modern times, if you’re a marauder you’re certainly a rascal — probably even a criminal. A marauder doesn’t target a victim and plan a crime — instead a marauder is on the move looking for opportunities to rob people or steal things. Marauders often travel in groups, looting whatever they can.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Hamler was the last living Marauder, the daughter of a late former Marauder, Jonnie Melillo Clasen, told Stars and Stripes.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 27, 2023

I always enjoy the “Flashbacks” comic, but the one for May 31 had an error in its illustration of a World War II Martin B-26 Marauder.

From Washington Post • Jun. 12, 2020

The parallels between "Marauder" and "Bright Lights" make sense, considering the context it developed: just as Interpol were planning an anniversary tour playing the latter album in full.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2018

It was in one of those boxes, in the early nineties, that I found a copy of “Are You Ready, Mary Baker Eddy???,” published, in 1970, by Cloud Marauder Press, out of Berkeley.

From The New Yorker • Mar. 27, 2017

Irene Morgan worked at the Baltimore-based aircraft manufacturer Glenn L. Martin Company, assigned to the production line of the B-26 Marauder.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly