bandit

American  

[ban-dit] / ˈbæn dɪt /

noun

plural

bandits,

plural

banditti

1. a robber, especially a member of a gang or marauding band.

   Synonyms:

   desperado, brigand

2. an outlaw or highwayman.

   Synonyms:

   desperado, brigand

3. Informal.

   1. a person who takes unfair advantage of others, as a merchant who overcharges; swindler; cheat.

   2. a vendor, cab driver, etc., who operates a business or works without a required license or permit, and without observing the usual rules or practices.

4. Military Informal. an enemy aircraft, especially an attacking fighter.

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idioms

1. make out like a bandit, to be extremely successful; profit greatly.

   The early investors in the company have made out like bandits.

bandit British  

/ ˈbændɪt /

noun

1. a robber, esp a member of an armed gang; brigand

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Other Word Forms

• banditry
  noun

Etymology

Origin of bandit

First recorded in 1585–95; earlier bandetto, plural banditti, from Italian banditi “outlaws,” plural of bandito “proscribed,” past participle of bandire “banish, exile, announce publicly,” from Gothic bandwjan “to make a sign, indicate” ( cf. band ¹) with verb suffix -ire, from Latin -īre

Explanation

A bandit is a robber, thief, or outlaw. If you cover your face with a bandanna, jump on your horse, and rob the passengers on a train, you're a bandit. A bandit typically belongs to a gang of bandits who commit crimes in remote, lawless, or out-of-the-way places. A bus traveling through an isolated location that's not policed might be at risk for being attacked by bandits. The word bandit comes from the Italian bandito, "outlaw," from the Vulgar Latin bannire, "to proclaim or proscribe," by way of a Germanic root that's shared by ban.

Example Sentences

Bernthal, who plays Sonny, has his own wayward machismo and hapless sensitivity, the very qualities that made Al Pacino unforgettable in the role of the bungling bandit with a Catholic conscience.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

One sculpture transforms the European hero Robin Hood into an African bandit queen who raided slave traders and freed their captives.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

In the title piece, a reformed bandit is regaled—and possibly lured back to a life of adventuring—by the confessions of a confidence woman.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

He would have made out like a bandit, given the fall in property prices, which took the best part of a decade to recover.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 7, 2025

One bandit splits open waistbands, collars, and cuffs looking for hidden money.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Related Words

• criminal
• gangster
• hooligan
• marauder
• mobster
• outlaw
• pirate
• raider
• robber