burglar
Americannoun
-
burglars
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of burglar
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English, from Anglo-French burgler (compare Anglo-Latin burg(u)lātor ), perhaps from unattested Old French borgl(er) “to plunder, pillage” (from unattested Gallo-Romance būriculāre, equivalent to unattested būric(āre) (unattested Old Low Franconian būrj(an) “to dart at, pounce upon” + unattested Vulgar Latin -icāre verb suffix; compare Old French burgier “to strike, hit”) + -ulāre verb suffix) + Anglo-French -er -er 2; see -ar 2
Explanation
Use the word burglar when you're talking about someone who steals things from inside a house or a building. A burglar often breaks a window or forces a lock, intending to take valuable items. The act of doing this is burglary, and to do it is to burglarize in the United States, or to burgle in Britain. In the 1540's, burglar was a short form of the word burglator, from the Latin burgare, "to break open."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It could also provide enough electricity for off-grid devices requiring little power, such as sensors to detect pest damage to farmland, overflowing rivers, landslides or even burglar alarms.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
Other complaints about his portrayal of political rival councillor Jan Matecki as a burglar on social media are understood to remain under investigation as well.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
His father, Charles Whittaker, was a traveling salesman for a maker of burglar alarms and bank vaults.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
His mother “worked as a receptionist at a burglar alarm company—one of the few growth industries in the neighborhood” during the early 1960s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
And there was a burglar alarm prominently fixed to the front of the house, and a large spotlight at each corner; they’d never be able to get near it, let alone break in.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
The two suspected burglars are said to be among them.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
It’s functionally a field guide of targets for burglars, looters and squatters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Five decades ago, four burglars broke into a billionaire’s safe, setting off a chain of events that exposed and foiled one of the CIA’s most ambitious operations against the Soviets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
But there were still valuable belongings at their home, and his family was concerned burglars might try to ignore the hazardous chemicals in the air and take advantage of the situation.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
“Didn’t you promise burglars would never break into our house because there’s nothing here to steal?” whispered Meggie.
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
