purloin

American  

[per-loin, pur-loin] / pərˈlɔɪn, ˈpɜr lɔɪn /

verb (used with object)

1. to take dishonestly; steal; filch; pilfer.

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verb (used without object)

1. to commit theft; steal.

purloin British  

/ pɜːˈlɔɪn /

verb

1. to take (something) dishonestly; steal

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Other Word Forms

• purloiner
  noun
• unpurloined
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of purloin

First recorded in 1325–50; Middle English purloynen, from Anglo-French purloigner, Old French porloigner “to put off, remove,” equivalent to pur- (from Latin prō- pro- ¹ ) + -loigner, derivative of loin “at a distance, far off,” from Latin longē “a long way off,” adverb of longus “long” ( see origin at long ¹ ( def. ))

Explanation

You can use the verb purloin to mean "steal" or "take," especially if it's done in a sneaky way. If you sneak a dollar out of your mom's purse, you purloin it. Kids might purloin apples from a neighbor's tree, and a crooked cashier might purloin cash from her boss's convenience store. Originally, purloin meant "put at a distance" in Middle English. The word comes from the Anglo-French purloigner, "put away."

Example Sentences

Purloin, pur-loin′, v.t. to carry off to a distance: to take for one's own use: to steal: to plagiarise.—v.i. to practise theft.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

Related Words

• embezzle
• filch
• misappropriate
• pilfer