burglar

[ bur-gler ]

/ ˈbɜr glər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR burglar ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who commits burglary.

Nearby words

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

Can be confused

burglar mugger robber thief (see synonym study at thief)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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