fraud English · revision 5630

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1278|origins=la fraus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /frɔːd/, US /frɑːd/, /frɔːd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English fraude, [[bor|fro|fraude|t=deception, fraud]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|fraus|t=deceit, injury]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline and MWU compare Sanskrit dhūrta “fraudulent” and dhruti “deception”.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In law, ''in fraud of'', so as to defraud: 1278 in the OED, and the mid-13th century in Anglo-Latin.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Criminal deception is from about 1330 in the OED, 1345–46 in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An act of deception or trick is from about 1374,^(OED 1989) and the quality of being deceitful from about 1400.^(OED 1989) ''Pious fraud'', deception for a supposedly good purpose, is from the 1560s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A fraudulent contrivance, something meant to deceive, is from the 1650s, 1658 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The ''Statute of Frauds'' of 1678 required certain contracts to be in writing.^(OED 1989) An impostor or humbug, of a person, is from 1850.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Fraudulent'' is from before 1420, in Lydgate.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1278 – ''in fraud of'' (law).^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1330 – criminal deception.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1560s – ''pious fraud''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1658 – something meant to deceive.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1850 – an impostor.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The crime of [[deceive|alt=deceiving]] people to get money or an advantage.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A trick or deception.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who pretends to be what they are not; an [[impostor]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something that is not what it claims to be.^(Collins 2023)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fraudful]]

+ * [[fraudfully]]

+ * [[antifraud]]

+ * [[defraud]]

+ * [[fraudulence]]

+ * [[fraudulent]]

+ * [[prefraud]]

+ * [[wire fraud]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fraudster]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}