depredation

[dep-ri-dey-shuh n]

noun

the act of preying upon or plundering; robbery; ravage.

Origin of depredation

1475–85; < Late Latin dēpraedātiōn- (stem of dēpraedātiō) a plundering, equivalent to dēpraedāt(us) (see depredate) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsdep·re·da·tion·ist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for depredations

Contemporary Examples

The depredations suffered by Southern blacks at the hands of white authorities had been known, at an abstract level, for decades.
When a Picture Is Too Powerful
Jeff Greenfield
September 15, 2014
Is it the depredations of unfettered capitalism that make people the servants of the market rather than the other way around?
You Say You Want a Revolution?
Christopher Dickey
June 23, 2013
Only grassroots opposition stopped, or at least limited, their depredations.
America’s New Oligarchs—Fwd.us and Silicon Valley’s Shady 1 Percenters
Joel Kotkin
May 14, 2013
Iran has also succumbed over the course of a cruel century, in large part because of the depredations of the Pahlavi dynasty.
Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi Suicide: Tragic End to Iran's Dynasty
Stephen Kinzer
January 5, 2011

Historical Examples

Down almost to our own day the depredations of wolves were frightful.
The Roof of France
Matilda Betham-Edwards
Meantime their depredations had been stopped, and what was the consequence?
End of the Tether
Joseph Conrad
I shall, from memory, cite such few of their depredations as I recollect.
The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido
Henry Keppel
This country was a common field for the depredations of the Norse rovers.
Historical Tales, Vol. 9 (of 15)
Charles Morris
He had suffered a great deal from the depredations of fruit thieves.
In School and Out
Oliver Optic

British Dictionary definitions for depredations

depredation

noun

the act or an instance of plundering; robbery; pillage

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

Word Origin and History for depredations

depredation

n.

late 15c., from Middle French déprédation, from Late Latin depraedationem (nominative depraedatio) "a plundering," from past participle stem of Latin depraedari "to pillage," from de- "thoroughly" (see de-) + praedari "to plunder," literally "to make prey of," from praeda "prey" (see prey).

depredation

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}depredation

Related Words

Examples from the Web for depredations

Contemporary Examples

The depredations suffered by Southern blacks at the hands of white authorities had been known, at an abstract level, for decades.

Is it the depredations of unfettered capitalism that make people the servants of the market rather than the other way around?

Only grassroots opposition stopped, or at least limited, their depredations.

Iran has also succumbed over the course of a cruel century, in large part because of the depredations of the Pahlavi dynasty.

Historical Examples

Down almost to our own day the depredations of wolves were frightful.

Meantime their depredations had been stopped, and what was the consequence?

I shall, from memory, cite such few of their depredations as I recollect.

This country was a common field for the depredations of the Norse rovers.

He had suffered a great deal from the depredations of fruit thieves.

depredation

Word Origin and History for depredations

depredation

n.

Origin of depredation