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razzia

[raz-ee-uh]
noun
  1. a plundering raid.
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Origin of razzia

1835–45; < French < Arabic (Algerian) ghāzya military raid, variant of Arabic ghazwah
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for razzia

Historical Examples

  • In short, it is a razzia, or sweeping burglary, as complete as can be imagined.

    Animal Intelligence

    George J. Romanes

  • The words Bédouins, razzia, Algérie, recurred frequently in their discourse.

  • The little blacks on whom the red ants made this razzia sallied out in considerable numbers; and I truly pitied them.

    The Insect

    Jules Michelet

  • She had been sold by auction, as usual, the day after the return from the razzia, and had fallen to the lot of one of the men.

    Some Heroes of Travel

    W. H. Davenport Adams

  • En-Noor told us that the Sultan of Asoudee had gone out on a razzia to the west.

British Dictionary definitions for razzia

razzia

noun plural -zias
  1. history a raid for plunder or slaves, esp one carried out by Moors in North Africa
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Word Origin

C19: from French, from Arabic ghaziah war
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