burglar

[ bur-gler ]

/ ˈbɜr glər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR burglar ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who commits burglary.

Words nearby burglar

burgh, burgher, burghley, burghley house, burghul, burglar, burglar alarm, burglarious, burglarize, burglarproof, burglary

Origin of burglar

1225–75; Middle English < Anglo-French burgler (compare Anglo-Latin burg(u)lātor), perhaps < Old French *borgl(er) to plunder, pillage (< Gallo-Romance *būriculāre, equivalent to *būric(āre) (Old Low Franconian *būrj(an) to dart at, pounce upon + Vulgar Latin *-icāre v. suffix; compare Old French burgier to strike, hit) + -ulāre v. suffix) + Anglo-French -er -er²; see -ar²

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH burglar

burglar mugger robber thief (see synonym study at thief)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for burglar

The night Tre arrives, Furious—a Vietnam vet—shoots at a burglar.
The 13 Coolest Movie Dads: ‘Taken,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Die Hard,’ and More|Marlow Stern|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was caught after setting off burglar alarms in the palace.
Security Farce At Palace As Prince Andrew Stopped By Police After Break-In|Tom Sykes|September 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It is the burglar who bears the culpability for walking through an unlocked door, not the homeowner.
How Social Scientists, and the Rest of Us, Got Seduced By a Good Story|Megan McArdle|April 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Police have denied earlier reports that Pistorius mistook his girlfriend for a burglar.
Blade Runner’s Beauty Queen: Who Was Reeva Steenkamp?|Lizzie Crocker|February 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST

The burglar was a career criminal, just out of prison after robbing a liquor store with a sawed-off shotgun.
One Redneck’s Gun Stand|Joe McLean|February 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The host, with a sudden gesture, tore off his mask and the Burglar accelerated his pace.
The Chase of the Golden Plate|Jacques Futrelle
Perhaps the most remarkable place in which a burglar carried his tools was a euphonium!
The Strand Magazine, Vol. VII, Issue 39, March 1894|Various
A fit of coughing shook the burglar and he paused by the iron railing, gasping for breath.
The Red Seal|Natalie Sumner Lincoln
It seems that the ex-convict, Skip Riley, had been a circus performer once upon a time, before he took to being a burglar.
Ted Strong's Motor Car|Edward C. Taylor
“It was brought by the burglar, of course,” said Pauline, quickly.
The Curved Blades|Carolyn Wells

British Dictionary definitions for burglar

burglar

/ (ˈbɜːɡlə) /

noun

a person who commits burglary; housebreaker

Word Origin for burglar

C15: from Anglo-French burgler, from Medieval Latin burglātor, probably from burgāre to thieve, from Latin burgus castle, fortress, of Germanic origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

burglar

noun

Words related to burglar

Words nearby burglar

Origin of burglar

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH burglar

Examples from the Web for burglar

British Dictionary definitions for burglar

noun

Word Origin for burglar