larceny English · revision 2178

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈlɑː.sən.i/, /ˈlɑː.sɪ.ni/ ''(UK)''; /ˈlɑɹ.sə.ni/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|larceni]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|xno|larcin|t=theft]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|fro|larrecin]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|latrōcinium|t=robbery]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''latrō'' “robber; hireling, mercenary”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) probably from a Greek source related to ''látron'' “pay, hire”.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The English ending ''-y'' was added to the French word,^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) perhaps under the influence of ''felony'' and ''burglary''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The felonious taking and carrying away of another's personal goods with intent to convert them to one's own use (c1460).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Barnhart dates the word to before 1475.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The meaning has stayed close to the legal definition.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) Larceny was formerly divided into ''grand larceny'' and ''petty larceny'' according to the value of the property.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c1460 – the felonious taking of another's goods.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(law)'' The unlawful taking and carrying away of another's personal property with intent to deprive the owner of it permanently; theft.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An instance of such taking.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[grand larceny]]

+ * [[petty larceny]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[larcenous]]

+ * [[larcenist]]

+ * [[felony]]

+ * [[burglary]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}