peculate

American  

[pek-yuh-leyt] / ˈpɛk yəˌleɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

peculated, peculating

1. to steal or take dishonestly (money, especially public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.

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peculate British  

/ ˈpɛkjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to appropriate or embezzle (public money)

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Other Word Forms

• peculation
  noun
• peculator
  noun
• unpeculating
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of peculate

First recorded in 1740–50; verb use of peculate “embezzlement” (now obsolete), from Latin past participle and noun pecūlātus “embezzled; embezzlement,” equivalent to pecūlā(rī) ) “to embezzle,” literally, “to make public property private” + -tus suffix of verbal action, derivative of pecu “wealth, livestock, movable property”; see origin at peculiar, -ate ¹

Explanation

If you embezzle, especially if you steal public funds for your own private use, then you peculate that money. To peculate is, of course, illegal — if you're caught, you can serve jail time. Peculate comes from the Latin word peculium, meaning private property, which itself has the root pecu, or cattle, so the literal meaning of peculium is "property in cattle." Cattle were considered very valuable property in ancient times, and stealing them was a grave act. Other words that have pecu at their roots include "peculiar" and "pecuniary." Despite the extremely similar spelling, the word "speculate" has totally different roots that have nothing to do with either cattle or embezzlement.

Example Sentences

Peculate, pek′ū-lāt, v.t. to take for one's own use money or property entrusted to one's care: to embezzle: to steal.—ns.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various