burglar

American  

[bur-gler] / ˈbɜr glər /

noun

1. a person who commits burglary.

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burglar British  

/ ˈbɜːɡlə /

noun

1. a person who commits burglary; housebreaker

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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."

Related Words

• crook
• robber
• thief