bandit

American  

[ban-dit] / ˈbæn dɪt /

noun

bandits, plural banditti plural

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

Derived Forms

• banditry
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bandits
  plural
• banditti
  plural

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

A brash and confident young earthbending prodigy, Toph moonlights as a champion fighter called the Blind Bandit, unbeknownst to her overprotective upper-class parents who think their little girl is helpless.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

The subtitle of the book, “The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California and Launched the Legend of Zorro,” is misleading at best.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

Max, who plays the other dog Bandit, is Indy’s puppy pal and belongs to Leonberg’s parents.

From Salon • Oct. 3, 2025

The film will feature the vocal actors from the TV show, including Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack as Bluey's parents, Chilli and Bandit Heeler, and music created by its composer Joff Bush.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2024

The music carried Bandit away, thousands of miles to the sea.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

Related Words

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