prowler

[prou-ler]

See more synonyms for prowler on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or animal that prowls.
a person who goes stealthily about with some unlawful intention, as to commit a burglary or theft.

Origin of prowler

First recorded in 1510–20; prowl + -er¹

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

Related Words for prowler

burglar, crook, robber, pilferer, lurker, housebreaker

Examples from the Web for prowler

Historical Examples of prowler

Every prowler in the dark is, consciously or unconsciously, a mystic.
The Web of the Golden Spider
Frederick Orin Bartlett
They knew that some hungry night prowler would then take care of it for them.
The House in the Water
Charles G. D. Roberts
A thump, followed by a muttered curse, betrayed the identity of the prowler.
Bloom of Cactus
Robert Ames Bennet
The prowler had stubbed his stockinged toe against a chair leg.
Bloom of Cactus
Robert Ames Bennet
If there was one prowler around there might be a dozen or a score.
Boy Scouts on Hudson Bay
G. Harvey Ralphson

Word Origin and History for prowler

n.

1510s, proller, agent noun from prowl (v.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper