Theft Definition

thĕft

thefts

noun

thefts

The unlawful taking of the property of another; larceny.

The prevention of theft.

American Heritage

The act or an instance of stealing; larceny.

Webster's New World

Something stolen.

American Heritage

Larceny; the unlawful expropriation of someone else’s property with the intent of keeping it from its rightful owner.

Webster's New World Law

In its broadest sense, any example or act of stealing, which includes burglary, embezzlement, false pretenses, fraud, and larceny. While larceny is generally categorized as petty or grand depending on the value of the goods taken, theft is generally categorized by the type of property stolen.

Webster's New World Law

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
return

Other Word Forms of Theft

Noun

Singular:

theft

Plural:

thefts

Origin of Theft

Old English þȳft, þēoft, earlier þīefþ, þēofþ, from Proto-Germanic *þiubiþō, from *þeubaz (“thief"). Cognate with Old Norse þeoft, þeofð and (obsolete) Dutch diefte. Compare thief, -th.

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old English thīefth

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition